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Scientists agree that Lake Taupo is under threat from increasing nitrogen leaching from land uses in the catchment. To just maintain the lake's current water quality, we need to reduce the amount of nitrogen coming from farmland and urban areas by 20 per cent.
As the local government agency responsible for the lake's water quality, Environment Waikato has been working together with Taupo District Council, central government, Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board, other agencies and groups to find the best solutions for both the lake and the community.
This page has information about the Protecting Lake Taupo strategy, the variation to the Waikato Regional Plan and the formation of the Lake Taupo Protection Trust. For information about what the new rules mean for farmers in the area see Lake Taupo in our projects section.
Protecting Lake Taupo strategy
You can download and read the Protecting Lake Taupo strategy in pdf format below.
Protecting Lake Taupo strategy
(967 kb, 138 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Proposed Variation to the Waikato Regional Plan: Lake Taupo Catchment
Environment Waikato's proposed "Variation No. 5 - Lake Taupo Catchment" to the Proposed Waikato Regional Plan in 2005.
Environment Waikato received 137 submissions to the proposal. Submissions were heard over a period of three months. The Hearing Committee considered all the submissions and made its recommendations to Council in March 2007. Council adopted those decisions in full, and released the decisions in March 2007.
The variation contains new policy and rules to manage land use in the catchment, with some farming practices controlled or requiring consents. It also contains tighter controls for new urban development in the Lake Taupo catchment.
New rules in the variation include:
- limits on the annual average amount of nitrogen leached from rural land use activities – dairy and drystock farming will require resource consents
- limits on the amount of nitrogen leached from new wastewater discharges (on-site or community systems)
- requiring a high standard of nitrogen removal from wastewater systems near to the lakeshore
- allowing nitrogen offsetting between properties to provide flexibility for landowners to meet the new rule requirements.
Policies in the variation include:
- working with Taupo District Council and other stakeholders to promote community wastewater upgrades
- working in partnership with Tuwharetoa as kaitiaki of the lake
- supporting the 2020 Taupo-nui-a-Tia action plan to recognise and provide for other environmental, social, cultural and economic values when managing land use change
- supporting research and development into profitable and viable low nitrogen rural land uses
- using public funds administered by the Lake Taupo Protection Trust to reduce manageable nitrogen losses to the lake by 20 per cent.
Decisions on submissions
You can view or print the full decisions of council on the Variation in PDF format below.
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Variation No. 5 – Lake Taupo Catchment (Committee Recommendations) Hearings Committee Report to Council - Volume one
(1431 kb, 204 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Variation No. 5 – Lake Taupo Catchment (Committee Recommendations) Hearings Committee Report to Council - Volume two
(1636 kb, 233 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Variation 5 - Lake Taupo Catchment Strikethrough Version incorporating Hearings Committee Recommendations
(2347 kb, 335 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Variation 5 – Lake Taupo Catchment (Hearings Committee Recommendations Version) - Evaluation of alternatives, benefits and costs under section 32 of the RMA – Explanation of the approach taken in the Variation
(1440 kb, 205 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Appeals on decisions
Following the release of decisions, a number of parties lodged appeals to the Environment Court on Environment Waikato's decisions. Environment Waikato is working with the appellants to resolve these appeals. We have prepared a version of the variation indicating the new wording as a result of the decisions and indicating those parts of the variation that have been appealed. You can download this as a PDF below:
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Variation 5 - Lake Taupo Catchment appeals version
(570 kb, 81 seconds to download, 56k modem)
If you have any queries about Variation No.5 or its status please contact us.
Environment Court Interim Decision
An Environment Court hearing to consider evidence and legal submissions on appeals to Variation No. 5 was conducted over a number of weeks in May and June of this year. The Environment Court released an interim decision of its findings on 12 November 2008. You can download a PDF of the Environment Court decision below:
Environment Court Interim Decision
(2688 kb, 384 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Find out more
Find out about issues affecting Lake Taupo’s water quality, including the effect of different land uses on the lake and how clean the lake is for swimming.
Find out how the new rules affect farming in the Lake Taupo catchment.
Find out more about the Lake Taupo Protection Trust.
Contact us if you’d like updates on our progress and information about opportunities to have your say.