Media Release: Friday 21 November

Foxton river loop working party formed

A working party has been formed to investigate options to reintroduce permanent flow into the Manawatu River Loop at Foxton.

The party includes representatives from the Save Our River Trust, Foxton Community Board, Horowhenua District Council and Horizons Regional Council, and has met twice now.

Working party chair and Horowhenua District Council chief executive David Clapperton says both meetings have been constructive and that while nobody knows what the solution will be, the outcomes sought are clear - to return flow to the Manawatu River Loop and bring about ecological restoration, recreational use of the river loop, community health, and enhance cultural and heritage values.

Mr Clapperton says working party members believe a positive outcome can be found.

“The Foxton Loop is a big part of the identity of Foxton, its community and history. If we can restore it and return pride to the people of Foxton, that’s got to be a positive outcome," he said.

A range of stakeholders have been identified and a scoping exercise to look at possible solutions is underway.

The Foxton Loop, as it is more commonly known, was originally part of the Manawatu River. In the early 1900s, it served the Foxton township as a staging point and port for trade of farming, flax and milling products.

Flood control efforts in 1942 saw the construction of a diversion channel to speed the discharge of water during high flood flows, ultimately separating the loop from the main stem of the river. Since then, the Foxton Loop has been starved of a permanent river flow resulting in the upstream channel closing due to sediment deposition. Aquatic weeds have established, pest fish are present and water quality is poor.

ENDS

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