stephen June 16th, 2010
Mount Albert Grammar School Cuts Community Links
STEPS is very disappointed at recent initiatives by Mt Albert Grammar School (MAGS) to cut down old trees, build a high iron fence, and block the path which links the MAGS school farm and Alberton Ave with Kerr Taylor Reserve, Meola Creek and Fergusson Ave.
Over the past few years STEPS and MAGS have worked very well together – and only 2 weeks ago STEPS planted the stream side in the school grounds near the boarding school. So STEPS was shocked when MAGS started cutting down some old and stately trees along its Eastern Boundary with the Reserve. MAGS had also blocked the path through to the school farm – apparently for some leaky building site works.
STEPS held two meetings with MAGS over a 12 month period. At the first the school representative denied any knowledge when questioned about school plans regarding the path. In the past week it appears that Head Master Dale Burden has left instructions that the fence is to be finished during his absence in Europe on a fellowship; and that the path to the farm will not be reopened.
The work done by MAGS to help build and plant a boardwalk along the creek, and to fence off and protect the upper tributary which is on their farm is very good. But now they run the risk of severing for all time the links between the two tributaries; and the pedestrian links between Mt Albert and Sandringham. The trees are already gone (see photos attached).
ACTION: If you do not agree with this – please contact STEPS (via this website) or MAGS Headmaster – mailto:dperry@mags.school.nz and cc: STEPS.
la4-kerr-taylor-tree-planting-as-amended-for-scoping
Boundary trees before felling
Boundary trees now
stephen June 6th, 2010
UPDATE ON WINSTONES QUARRY
Following on from the item below at http://www.meolacreek.org.nz/2009/07/23/changes-to-meola-three-kings-and-western-springs-aquifer/ ARC and ACC granted Winstone Aggregates Ltd a Resource Consent to carry out earthworks and contaminated site discharges associated with the development of a cleanfill site at Three Kings Quarry, Mt Eden Road, for a term of 20 years, on the 28th November 2009. STEPS, Three Kings United, SEPG, Friends of Oakley Creek, Envirowaste and others appealed.
Subsequently Winstones have applied for a new resource consent, while appeals against the 2009 application are still to be heard. Supporting documents are at http://www.winstoneaggregates.co.nz/DMS/Three_Kings_Quarry.php?id=43
Winstones already have a “dewatering” consent whereby they can pump 5000-10,000 cu m of water (approximately 1-2 Olympic pools ) per day until 2030 out of the Meola-Three Kings- Western Springs Aquifer. Instead of the water flowing naturally downhill through creeks to the Waitemata Harbour, it is now pumped over to Onehunga and flows through the waste water system and into Manukau Harbour.
In regard to the new resource consent application, STEPS is concerned that the interpretation applied to the definition of ‘clean fill’ promoted by the applicant is not properly in accord with that specified in the Proposed Auckland Regional Plan: Air Land and Water, and MfE guidelines for “Clean Fill”.
Attached are two submissions: the first is from STEPS and the Friends of Oakley Creek; the other is the combined submission of Watercare Services and Metrowater; both outline concerns about the potential contamination of the aquifer.
STEPS Three Kings Quarry Submission
Watercare’s & Metrowater’s submissions
stephen June 6th, 2010
Flooding in wetland
- Wetland flooded
Boardwalk under water
Meola Creek submerges boardwalk
See the stress Meola Creek is under when it rains and how the wetland and boardwalk are affected.
stephen June 2nd, 2010
STEPS received the Runner-up Award for Riparian Planting performed by a Community Group at the Wai Care Expo last week and was presented with a certificate and an engraved perspex trophy.
stephen October 20th, 2009
Caleb Clarke, who designed the new boardwalk in the Roy Clements Treeway has provided a very useful diagram showing the relationships between Owairaka Mt Albert, Maungawhau, Three Kings and Meola Creek on p7 of this paper. http://www.nzsses.auckland.ac.nz/Conference/2008/papers/Clarke.pdf
Tags: aquifer
stephen October 20th, 2009
Central Interceptor project.
Watercare Services recently invited STEPS to meet and provide input to the preliminary
design of the Central Interceptor project.
The following pdfs slides show that Meola Creek provides the largest volume of overflows into
the Waitemata Harbour each year.
Central Interceptor and Associated Works Programme Central Interceptor and Associated Works Programme August 2009 Update part 1 of 2 (1Mb)
Central Interceptor and Associated Works Programme Central Interceptor and Associated Works Programme August 2009 Update part 2 of 2 (1Mb)
STEPS is pleased that Watercare Services are working on solving this serious and long
term problem.
For more information see also http://www.water.co.nz/fms/Publications/Interflow/0812interflowfinal.pdf
Tags: Watercare
stephen August 3rd, 2009
On 9 July STEPS made a presentation to the Development Committee on significant water issues such as Westfield, St Lukes, plan change, and Winstones plans to fill the Three Kings quarry pit.
Here is the presentation. Presentation Development Committee-0907
Minutes are at http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/members/committeemeetings/city/m20090709.asp. The city will follow up on progress regarding the Watercare Services sewer interceptor upgrade.
stephen July 23rd, 2009
STEPS opposed this plan change on a number of grounds as attached. A summary of all submissions is now available on the council site above. Anyone can now make a further submission in support of STEPS or other submissions until 31 July 2009.
STEPS submission can be read here.
stephen July 23rd, 2009
The large aquifer underlying Meola and Oakley Catchments has at least three names as above. The different names make clear the large extent of the clean water – a “buried treasure” of Auckland City.
As part of their Quarrying operation, Winstones are pumping out water from the top of the aquifer under Meola Creek – and into Manukau Harbour through the stormwater system. STEPS believes this has a direct impact on Meola Creek’s low base flow.
The report prepared for Winstone Aggregates by Tonkin and Taylor Ltd 8 July 2008 p1 “At its current depth (quarry base at RL34, with quarry rim at RL60-RL80 approx), resources are being extracted from below regional groundwater level. Groundwater within the quarry is depressed to below the quarry floor by pumping from a well within the quarry property.“
2009 photo - water is normally maintained at 34 RSL
1998 photo - water is approx 2 metres above water table (56 RSL)
These pictures give some idea of the amount of water which is removed in order to achieve this.
In May 2009 Winstones applied for a resource consent to fill the hole with “clean fill”. The Three Kings United group (whose link is on this site) have monitored and researched this situation for many years. They are asking for truck movements to be limited, and for the pit to be lined with impermeable surface to prevent leaching into the aquifer.
meolacreek May 5th, 2009
St Lukes Mall is less than 200 metres from Meola Creek, Lyon Ave.
Here is a typical flood occurring several times a year – where the Watercare Services Edendale branch sewer overflows at Lyon Ave, and pours a torrent of stormwater (including pollutants and sewage from combined sewers) into Meola Creek, and over the grounds of adjacent schools.
a torrent of stormwater (including pollutants and sewage from combined sewers) into Meola Creek
This week, Westfield notified a private plan change.
From initial reading of the documents we conclude that :
- Westfield wants to change the zoning of many residential 6a and 7b properties to business 8
- they plan an expansion of an extra 23000 sq meters beyond their shopping mall of 35800 sq meters + carpark of 26000 sq m
- the mall development will occur over an additional 49000 sq m (carpark plus existing residential properties)
- they are planning for a FIVE (5) fold increase in consumption of water; and emission of waste water and a TEN (10) fold increase in storm water – both peak and average flows
- the existing northern carpark constructed in 2003 …appears to have inadequate stormwater disposal capacity as of now
- Watercare Services advised that the existing Edendale Branch sewer has adequate capacity to receive the additional waste water
- no additional stormwater would be permitted to discharge into the sewer
- excess stormwater from the site would be directed on to adjacent road reserves…to continue along the natural course downstream of the shopping centre [ie into Meola Creek at Lyon Ave as above]
(Reference Report prepared for Westfield NZ Ltd by Tonkin and Taylor Ltd 18 November 2008)
STEPS believes:
- Auckland City Council should not issue approvals for extremely large scale developments such as this, in an area where their own reports frequently point out the lack of capacity of the stormwater and waste water infrastructure
- We challenge Watercare Services statements about adequate capacity – when we all know that waste water and stormwater overflow here many times a year
- Most New Zealanders will find it hard to understand that NZ’s largest city accepts this situation where raw sewage frequently flows through public parks and school grounds, and heavy metal pollutants pour into Waitemata Harbour beside [heritage protected] Te Tokaroa/ Meola Reef.
- It is even hard to understand how Westfield and the planners of Auckland City Council have worked for several years to develop a proposal which once again ignores the unacceptable reality of these overflows through the heart of the Mt Albert electorate.
- ARC, Auckland City and Watercare services need to make it a priority to upgrade the Watercare Interceptor to stop these overflows
NOTE: We understand that approval of this Private Plan change would mean that they need not seek resource consents in future, providing they comply with Business 8. We also understand that there are proposed RMA changes which would prevent private plan changes. This probably increases the urgency of the approval of the plan change for Westfield – as without it they would have to seek resource consents in future.
Any comments on or updates to the above are welcome.
