Current high levels of water in the Taylor River are due to a build-up of weed in the lower Ōpaoa River.

Council’s Rivers and Drainage Engineer Geoff Dick says this is more pronounced than normal thanks to a warm and wet summer and a breakdown of Council’s weed cutter boat which limited the early summer cut.

“The public will have noticed the high levels of water in the Taylor, particularly near Raupō café,” said Mr Dick. “This is due to the normal build-up of weed which we get during the warm summer months, but the water level will drop once we get our weed boat back on the Ōpaoa River.”

A variety of aquatic weeds grow prolifically in the Taylor and Lower Ōpaoa rivers.

“If left unmanaged this weed raises water levels and becomes unsightly. Downstream of State Highway 1 in the lower Ōpaoa the weed is cut three times a year using Council’s weed cutter boat,” said Mr Dick.

Most years Council also removes weed growth from the Taylor River upstream of Raupō by digger and weed rake.

Council plans to start this work as soon as the weed cutter boat can be repaired. It is expected the new part, brought in from Australia, will be fitted over Easter.

“This is a little earlier than usual. It will help to lower the water level and remedy the flooded board walks,” said Mr Dick.

Council is also upgrading a section of stopbank near the Purkiss Street entrance to the Taylor River Reserve.

“At Brook Street the trees in the stopbank were removed because they were beginning to fail and residents were concerned if a large limb or tree fell their way,” said Mr Dick.

“Cutting the trees down is the easy part. Stumping them and repairing the stopbank is quite a big job and will likely be completed in two parts. Work is already underway on this,” he said.

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