Comments on: Damming the Mokihinui River eels http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/ hopping along the corridors of power Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:35:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: mosley59 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-50572 mosley59 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:52:03 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-50572 Wetawatch - go to www.wrap.org.nz - there's a petition there and links to the Green party blogs, etc etc. bjchip - I have a home in Mokihinui, and the eels spend most of their time in the upper reaches of the river (i.e where the dam is to be built). This means that the dam will significantly disrupt their lives in that area. As well as the damage to the upper reaches, the short, intense bursts of water periodically released by the dam (assuming it operates like the ones in the Huka falls area, etc etc) will likely erode the river, as they will contain water at a higher volume and speed than the river's natural flow. In essence, the river will have flash floods every day, which will erode banks, and the estuary at the rivermouth, as well as damaging the whitebait runs. All of this will effect the amounts of food available for the eels, both in their migratory patterns, and if they relocate their homes to the lower reaches of the river. treesoftomorrow - you're absolutely correct, the power will very likely go to the Ngakawau coal mine and the Pike River mine, thus damaging the environment three-fold (completely ignoring the dairy industry it will benefit as well) Wetawatch – go to http://www.wrap.org.nz – there’s a petition there and links to the Green party blogs, etc etc.

bjchip – I have a home in Mokihinui, and the eels spend most of their time in the upper reaches of the river (i.e where the dam is to be built). This means that the dam will significantly disrupt their lives in that area.
As well as the damage to the upper reaches, the short, intense bursts of water periodically released by the dam (assuming it operates like the ones in the Huka falls area, etc etc) will likely erode the river, as they will contain water at a higher volume and speed than the river’s natural flow. In essence, the river will have flash floods every day, which will erode banks, and the estuary at the rivermouth, as well as damaging the whitebait runs. All of this will effect the amounts of food available for the eels, both in their migratory patterns, and if they relocate their homes to the lower reaches of the river.

treesoftomorrow – you’re absolutely correct, the power will very likely go to the Ngakawau coal mine and the Pike River mine, thus damaging the environment three-fold (completely ignoring the dairy industry it will benefit as well)

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]]> By: Wetawatch http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-50276 Wetawatch Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:56:30 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-50276 Hi guys, Does anyone have an update on the dam proposal? Last I heard is Trevor Mallard will not call in Meridian. Is there a website to 'be involved'. Cheers Hi guys,

Does anyone have an update on the dam proposal? Last I heard is Trevor Mallard will not call in Meridian. Is there a website to ‘be involved’. Cheers

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]]> By: pepeke http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40426 pepeke Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:21:24 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40426 Eels may not be able to jump, but they are excellent climbers - given the opportunity. Don't take the p*ss too much about the eels, they're in real dire straits. what with habitat destruction, commercial fishing and development, they need help. Sure, not as cute and cuddly as a kiwi or kakapo - but you've got to give these guys props for living for a hundred years plus! The whole thing with eels is that they only breed ONCE (somewhere off Tonga), so, when you take the 2m long female out of the river, you also take the chance she had to breed. therefore, chronic decline of the population.... But of course, we won't think about all of this stuff WE ALREADY KNOW until we've already wrecked it, and 'whoops', with the benefit of hindsight, we've wiped out another totally unique NZ native species. Good one clean green NZ. Eels may not be able to jump, but they are excellent climbers – given the opportunity.

Don’t take the p*ss too much about the eels, they’re in real dire straits. what with habitat destruction, commercial fishing and development, they need help. Sure, not as cute and cuddly as a kiwi or kakapo – but you’ve got to give these guys props for living for a hundred years plus!

The whole thing with eels is that they only breed ONCE (somewhere off Tonga), so, when you take the 2m long female out of the river, you also take the chance she had to breed. therefore, chronic decline of the population….

But of course, we won’t think about all of this stuff WE ALREADY KNOW until we’ve already wrecked it, and ‘whoops’, with the benefit of hindsight, we’ve wiped out another totally unique NZ native species.

Good one clean green NZ.

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]]> By: treesoftomorrow http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40415 treesoftomorrow Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:49:03 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40415 Ask Forest and Bird and Meridian is that comes into any of the proposed plans. If it is too costly, it likely won't. How could it be proven to work in advance? Ask Forest and Bird and Meridian is that comes into any of the proposed plans.

If it is too costly, it likely won’t. How could it be proven to work in advance?

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]]> By: bjchip http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40408 bjchip Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:56:52 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40408 Does the dam destroy the entire habitat (the eels need the running water of the river rather than a lake and there's none left?) Is it feasible to organize a path around the dam as is done for salmon with "fish ladders" and the like? Eels don't jump, but it seems to me that a little cleverness is required to manage this in a way they CAN navigate, rather than simply opposing the dam. If that were arranged would the eels be safe AND the power storage be available? respectfully BJ Does the dam destroy the entire habitat (the eels need the running water of the river rather than a lake and there’s none left?) Is it feasible to organize a path around the dam as is done for salmon with “fish ladders” and the like?

Eels don’t jump, but it seems to me that a little cleverness is required to manage this in a way they CAN navigate, rather than simply opposing the dam.

If that were arranged would the eels be safe AND the power storage be available?

respectfully
BJ

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]]> By: treesoftomorrow http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40377 treesoftomorrow Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:57:32 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40377 maybe meridian can do a solid energy and make a 'eel the movie' PR doco after it dams the river and destroys the eel habitat maybe meridian can do a solid energy and make a ‘eel the movie’ PR doco after it dams the river and destroys the eel habitat

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]]> By: treesoftomorrow http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40375 treesoftomorrow Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:50:54 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40375 Just pointing out that the energy would be used for dairy and coal mining expansion and the transmissions lines may go through or near parts of happy valley... so clean energy for dirty industry............ not so clear cut as.. meridian is creating clean energy. dams are not automatically clean and environmentally friendly. I would suggest people visit the area of look at some photos of the Mokihinui River. Forest and Bird has a heap of info on their website. It is likely the energy is partly for the new Pike River Coal mine that is almost up and running. $100 000 may be spent in the environment court by Meridian, the minister 'for the' Environment and the West Coast Councils. The Dam would be on an earthquake faultline and may cause massive erosion. Just pointing out that the energy would be used for dairy and coal mining expansion and the transmissions lines may go through or near parts of happy valley…

so clean energy for dirty industry…………

not so clear cut as.. meridian is creating clean energy.

dams are not automatically clean and environmentally friendly.
I would suggest people visit the area of look at some photos of the Mokihinui River. Forest and Bird has a heap of info on their website.

It is likely the energy is partly for the new Pike River Coal mine that is almost up and running. $100 000 may be spent in the environment court by Meridian, the minister ‘for the’ Environment and the West Coast Councils.

The Dam would be on an earthquake faultline and may cause massive erosion.

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]]> By: phil u http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40361 phil u Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:05:21 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40361 "..One of the things both Russel and Metiria can get really passionately fired up about is eels.." (do they have any good recipies..?..) phil(whoar.co.nz) “..One of the things both Russel and Metiria can get really passionately fired up about is eels..”

(do they have any good recipies..?..)

phil(whoar.co.nz)

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]]> By: BluePeter http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40360 BluePeter Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:52:50 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40360 Is it possible to build a dam anywhere without disrupting something? Is it possible to build a dam anywhere without disrupting something?

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]]> By: AndrewE http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40359 AndrewE Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:38:19 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/04/03/damming-the-mohikinui-river-eels/#comment-40359 Isn't clean energy a good thing? Isn’t clean energy a good thing?

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