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Steve 
Group: Administrator
Posts: 1229
Joined: Jul. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 02 2011,16:14 |
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Just recieved the below email from F&B - Forest and Bird
Meridian plans to drown one of our most pristine rivers, the West Coast’s Mokihinui, by building an 85-metre-high dam.
Today Forest & Bird visited Meridian’s Wellington office to ask the state-owned electricity generator to save this wild river and the 16 threatened bird species that call it home.
The Department of Conservation opposes this destruction of 330 hectares of rainforest and river-bed on public conservation land – land DOC administers on behalf of all New Zealanders – but Meridian won’t take no for an answer.
Meridian Energy is owned by New Zealanders, for New Zealanders.
Forest & Bird believes electricity companies should look for environmentally responsible, innovative ways to generate electricity.
YOU can help protect the Mokihinui River.
Please send Meridian an e-card asking the company to save this wild river and to look for greener alternatives.
Send an ecard to Meridian
More Info
Photo: From left, Whitewater NZ representative Jo Dovey, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne, Federated Mountain Clubs president Richard Davies, Forest & Bird general manager Mike Britton, Labour MP Chris Hipkins and Green Party MP Kevin Hague, in front, at Meridian’s Wellington office today.
Sorry no photo but wonder where Fish and Game are...?
Edited by Steve on Feb. 02 2011,16:18
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Steve Gerard
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Jono
Group: Members
Posts: 37
Joined: Feb. 2007
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Posted on: Feb. 02 2011,22:43 |
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Just tramped up this river through the gorge and back again and fished up both the North and South branches above the forks. This was sparked by the idea that this could be gone in the near future (though I hope DoC can win the battle in env. court).
This is one amazing river, so please do all you can to stop this travesty going ahead!!!
Was a few emotional moments walking up through the amazing gorge thinking it could be inundated with water.
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Steve
Group: Administrator
Posts: 1229
Joined: Jul. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2011,08:34 |
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We were over there at Xmas, stayed at Gentle Annie beach, a stone’s throw from the sea, stunning spot, the river came up bank to bank and trapped as for a couple of hours as it flowed over the road, we watch green bales from an unlucky farm further up river go sailing by one after another. Fished up from the forks a few years ago. It's a special place all right, remote, real backcountry, the sort of place that should be left as it is. And that's the problem, its remoteness, it's not in anyone’s back yard, there aren't enough people affected to make some noise.
Fish and Game are not apposing this as they don't think the dam with affect the fishery much as apparently the fish don't migrate from sea to headwaters?? apparently. I don't agree with that stance, it's still a remote wild river with a good fishery, the very sort of river every fisherman should be fighting to protect.
The whole proposal is outrageous I believe, go F&B and DOC
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Steve Gerard
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Dave A
Group: Members
Posts: 349
Joined: Jul. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2011,21:47 |
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e- card sent. Just got to look at what people like Budge Hintz achieved to know that every little bit of effort helps.
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Dave A
I spend some of my life flyfishing - the rest I just waste!
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| Post Number: 5
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Dave A
Group: Members
Posts: 349
Joined: Jul. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 19 2011,21:03 |
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Got an automated email response from Meridian saying it is committed to renewable generation sources.
I think they missed the point. Once a river is dammed it's gone forever. 
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Dave A
I spend some of my life flyfishing - the rest I just waste!
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ScottL
Group: Members
Posts: 78
Joined: Dec. 2009
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Posted on: Feb. 21 2011,16:16 |
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Totally agree - e card sent. I spent a day at the base of the river observing the weather to make a call on whether to spend 10 days up the system, unfortunately I was rained off but it is definitely something I wish to do in the future, I would be deeply disappointed if it was dammed.
To say a dam won't affect the fish is perhaps true to a point, but really surely as fish and game they must look at angling also. Fluctuating water levels, destruction of scenery, large lake, distruption from building process etc etc is really going to mess it up for anglers.
I doubt my email will be read by Meridian but I included information about the pilot wave energy projects underway in Scotland and asked why they don't look to invest in these types of projects, pursue something new - strive to be a leader. What about offshore wind farms etc? I know there's a lot of pros/cons/other issues but just an example - I don't want to debate about it!!!
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http://flycastingblog.wordpress.com/
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Nesameletus
Group: Members
Posts: 396
Joined: Sep. 2008
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Posted on: Feb. 24 2011,17:05 |
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(Steve @ Feb. 05 2011,08:34)
QUOTE We were over there at Xmas, stayed at Gentle Annie beach, a stone’s throw from the sea, stunning spot, the river came up bank to bank and trapped as for a couple of hours as it flowed over the road, we watch green bales from an unlucky farm further up river go sailing by one after another. Fished up from the forks a few years ago. It's a special place all right, remote, real backcountry, the sort of place that should be left as it is. And that's the problem, its remoteness, it's not in anyone’s back yard, there aren't enough people affected to make some noise.
Fish and Game are not apposing this as they don't think the dam with affect the fishery much as apparently the fish don't migrate from sea to headwaters?? apparently. I don't agree with that stance, it's still a remote wild river with a good fishery, the very sort of river every fisherman should be fighting to protect.
The whole proposal is outrageous I believe, go F&B and DOC
Hi Steve, the stand taken by F & G West Coast was I believe, it predates my joining the council, that there was no concrete data that F & G could take into the Environment court that would stand any sort of scrutiny in terms of impact to the fishery and the cost of trying to fight a battle we couldn't win was too great for the council to bear. The past manager however gained agreement from Meridian to have pre and post scheme monitoring and adaptive management changes included in the proposed conditions. A commitment was given by Meridian to F & G that prior to the appointment of any experts to the Consent Authority for appointment to the panel that they would be consulted to ensure that it contained sufficient expertise to provide advise on trout related matters.
Subsequently both DOC and Meridian filed a joint memorandum in the Environment court requesting appeals be put on hold for six months while access and other issues were addressed and at that time, May 2010, it looked likely that Meridian would make a new application to the project.
This was seen by most as a good result by F & G West Coast at a time when a lot of money was being spent by other councils to fight similar battles without result.
I hope they never dam the river but at this time unfortunately F & G has no show stoppers. Send those e-cards.
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Webby
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DMJ
Group: Members
Posts: 138
Joined: Oct. 2010
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Posted on: Mar. 02 2011,21:41 |
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e-card sent... check
forest and bird overseas membership...check
donation to the mokihinui project...check
I hope this helps to do what's best for nature.
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| Post Number: 9
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Quentin Forster
Group: Members
Posts: 195
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Mar. 05 2011,13:34 |
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e-card sent. Meridian have more than enough water than they know what to do with now so why stuff another river. Ive been through Tekapo many times this season and the hydro lakes have all been spilling continously for months.....Why not focus on actually using what they allready have? They allready have enough hydro stations. Its time they learned how to store the generated electricity thats not being demanded while they have an excess of water.Would surely be more beneficial to everyone.
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| Post Number: 10
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DMJ
Group: Members
Posts: 138
Joined: Oct. 2010
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Posted on: May 22 2012,20:05 |
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I just read that Meridian has abandoned their plans of building the dam, Forest & Bird are suggesting to make it part of the Kahurangi National park.
Great to see good things happen and that our donations was well spent 
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