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
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							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.
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							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.
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