STEPS wins award at Wai Care Expo
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.
Meola Creek Planting Days This Year
stephen May 4th, 2010
This year’s planting days:
SUNDAY 30 MAY 10AM - Meet Fergusson Ave. Metrowater planting the west side of the stream - with STEPS.. Will walk through school grounds near the boarding hostel.
Click here to see where to meet on Google Maps. (opens in a separate window)
Roy Clements Treeway Planting Flyer
SUNDAY 20 JUNE 10 AM- Meet Fergusson Ave - STEPS planting the wetland.
SUNDAY 18TH JULY 10 AM - Meet at Megacentre entrance to Treeway - Morphum planting north east corner of Roy Clements treeway.
Please bring gloves and sturdy footwear etc., and a spade if possible. Light refreshments will be provided.
Meola Creek and the Western Springs/ Three Kings Aquifer system.
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
Central Interceptor update
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.
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
Planting Day - August 15, 2009
Freddie August 7th, 2009
STEPS will be holding a planting day next Saturday August 15, 10am
This planting will build on the planting day held a couple of years ago on the west side of Meola Creek in the Kerr-Taylor Reserve
We will meet at the bridge in the Kerr-Taylor Reserve from 10am.
Please bring gloves and sturdy footwear etc., and a spade if possible.
Rain date: Sunday August 16, 10am. If concerned about the weather, please call Freddie on 849-3904 after 9.30am on Saturday
Any time you can spare will be welcomed. Hope to see you there.
STEPS Presentation to Auckland City Development Committee
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.
Meola Creek Planting Day, Saturday, July 25th
stephen July 27th, 2009
Saturday 25 July was a fine sunny day - and we had a lot of helpers planting along the boardwalk from Megacentre south to the new wetland.
Thanks to everyone, including our volunteers, Melissa and Metrowater for the plants.
Next planting day is 15 August, 10am - on the creekside at the end of Fergusson Ave. ALL WELCOME.
Melissa Marler, our co-ordinator - is laying out plants and welcoming Gogul Muthu
Nick Goldwater, Freddie Sherwin, Jane Chatterly, Gogul Muthu, John Smith and Trevor Sherwin after putting the last few plants in the ground
STEPS SUBMISSION ON WESTFIELD ST LUKES PLAN CHANGE
stephen July 23rd, 2009
Westfield notified a private plan change at http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/district/updates/008.asp
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.
Changes to Meola, Three Kings, and Western Springs Aquifer
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.
All technical documents are on Winstones’ own site http://www.winstoneaggregates.co.nz/DMS/Three_Kings_Quarry.php?id=40
The resource consent was notified at : http://www.aucklandcity.govt…nz/news/notices/200905/03/n01.asp
STEPS submission is attached submission-steps-draft-winstones-v4-final-090529
Re: Meola Creek Planting Day - July 25, 10am
Freddie July 19th, 2009
A planting day beside the boardwalk adjacent to Meola Creek has been arranged for Saturday July 25, 10am
Meet at the 32 Alberton Ave end of the boardwalk in Mt Albert at 10am, or simply walk along the boardwalk and it won’t be too hard to find us.
Please bring gloves and sturdy footwear etc., and a spade if possible.
Rain date: Sunday July 26, 10am. If concerned about the weather, please call 849-3904 after 9.30am on Saturday.
Any time you can spare will be welcomed. Hope to see you there.
