Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects

Transcription

1 Feb 2014 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 1

2 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Scheme Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects February 2014 Prepared for: Westpower Ltd By: Rob Greenaway & Associates Peer review: Dave Bamford, TRC Tourism Version status: Final Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 2

3 Contents 1 Executive Summary Assessments undertaken Potential effects Results of assessments Scheme description and proposed operating regime Operating regime the residual flow The Waitaha recreation resource and its management Recreation opportunity settings Land tenure and public access Tracks and facilities Recreation opportunities review Permolat volunteer maintenance group DOC Conservation Management Strategy Other existing consents and concessions Recreation activities and values: literature review West Coast and national tourism and recreation participation New Zealand Recreational River Use Study: specialisation, motivation and site preference An assessment of the whitewater recreational values of West Coast rivers whitewater kayaking River Values Assessment System (RiVAS) Water bodies of national importance New Zealand recreational river survey National angling surveys Tourism development and enterprise opportunities on the West Coast associated with track and water resources Guidebooks Shelter from the Storm New Zealand Whitewater: 125 Great Kayaking Runs New Zealand's South Island Rivers: A Guide for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters South Island Weekend Tramps Arthur's Pass to Mount Cook: A Tramping Guidebook Kiwi Flat hut book Websites and blogs Current recreational use Summary of use Kayaking Hunting Tramping and mountaineering Kiwi Flat Scamper Torrent Trans-alpine tramping and mountaineering Morgan Gorge hot springs Angling Jet boating Significance of setting to recreation Recreational use Setting attributes Experiences Resource substitutability Significance assessment Kayaking Tramping Hunting Hot springs Angling Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 3

4 6.5.6 Jet boating Potential Effects of the Scheme Statutory Planning Provisions Avoiding and Minimising Effects Scheme Location and Weir Design Recreational effects assessment Kayaking the upper Waitaha Gorge, including the Waitaha Gorge and Kiwi Flat reach Kayaking Morgan Gorge Kayaking between Morgan Gorge and Douglas Creek Kayaking the whole river Hunting and tramping Hot spring visitors Angling Jet boating All setting users construction Regional level all users Mitigations Effects and mitigation summary Planning framework Conclusion References Appendix 1: List of interviewees (Booth 2008) Appendix 2: Recreation Opportunities Review decisions for the Waitaha Appendix 3: River Report Form: Waitaha from England (2011) Appendix 4: Analysis output from RiVAS (Booth et al 2009) Appendix 5: International and domestic activity participation Appendix 6: Peer review statement Figures Figure 1: Location of Scheme and Waitaha Valley Figure 2: Location of Scheme and definition of river reaches Figure 3: Weir profile. Source: Hicks Figure 4: Exceedance curve of the natural flow data full year Figure 5: Exceedance curve of the natural flow data for summer Figure 6: Walking Access Commission Walking Access Mapping system output, Waitaha River Figure 7: Bed nights in the West Coast RTO area and NZ, year ended August Figure 8: Selected activities undertaken by international visitors to New Zealand Figure 9: Selected activities undertaken by domestic tourists in New Zealand 2011 and Figure 10: Bednights and day visitors recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, Figure 11: Activities recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, , by visitor count Figure 12: Origin of visitors recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, Tables Table 1: Scheme effects and mitigation summary... 9 Table 2: Waitaha catchment tracks status Table 3. What river setting respondents preferred Table 4: West Coast rivers: Grade by access Table 5: West Coast rivers: Grade by number of kayak days per annum Table 6: Weir location option review by activity preliminary assessment summary Table 7: Scheme effects and mitigation summary Table 8: Activities undertaken by international visitors to New Zealand Table 9: Activities undertaken by domestic visitors to New Zealand Table 10: Active pursuits undertaken by New Zealanders Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 4

5 1 Executive Summary Westpower Limited a community-owned West Coast electricity distribution company has proposed a 16 to 20 MW run-of-the-river hydro-electric power scheme the Waitaha Hydro Scheme (the Scheme) for the Waitaha River, 15 km southwest of Ross on the West Coast (Figure 1). This report presents the results of an investigation of the Waitaha Valley s recreation and tourism values, and the potential effects of the Scheme upon these values. The study area is defined as the Waitaha catchment. The Scheme includes a low weir and diversion structure at the upstream end of Morgan Gorge. The Scheme would be run-of-river with no instream storage. A tunnel would lead from the head-works at Kiwi Flat to a powerhouse and tailrace upstream of the Douglas Creek confluence, with the tailrace returning water to the River at the Alpha Creek confluence (this creek is marked on Figure 2 to the true right of the proposed powerhouse but might not have an official name). A 3.5 m 3 /s residual flow proposed immediately below the intake would be augmented by tributary inflows to become more than 4.2 m 3 /s for 50% of the time above the tailrace at Alpha Creek. The abstraction reach would include approximately 2600 metres of the Waitaha River, including Morgan Gorge. Construction access to Kiwi Flat would be via the tunnel and helicopter and, while a construction road would be required to the powerhouse on the true right upstream from Macgregor Creek, no new or improved road access would be developed to Kiwi Flat as part of the Scheme. This draft consultation report considers the effects of the operation of the Scheme proposal on the local, regional, national and international recreation and tourism values of the Waitaha Valley. The draft consultation report was peer reviewed by Dave Bamford of TRC Tourism, and his peer review statement is attached as Appendix Assessments undertaken The recreation and tourism values of the study area, preferences for development options, and potential adverse effects of the Scheme proposal, have been identified by: Site visits to the study area, including gaining an aerial overview of the entire Waitaha Valley by helicopter, walking both the true left and true right of the Morgan Gorge, exploration of Kiwi Flat and accessing the hot springs in the Gorge. Reference to a preliminary recreation effects assessment of the Scheme, as it was proposed in 2008, prepared by Lindis Consulting in 2008 (Booth 2008) including the findings of 23 stakeholder interviews (see Appendix 1 of this report). Data from these interviews are used in this report where referenced. All conclusions made in this report about the effects of the Scheme on recreation and tourism values are those of the author of this 2013 document and are based on subsequent research and a revised Scheme design. Reference to a 2012 review of gaps in the 2008 assessment (largely due to developments over time) by the Department of Conservation (Ian Wightwick, 27 July 2012). Attendance at public information days on the West Coast, staged by Westpower in Meetings by Westpower with representatives of White Water NZ (national and West Coast representatives) in 2012 and 2013, NZ Alpine Club in 2012 and 2013, and Federated Mountain Clubs in Interviews with relevant service providers and user group representatives (indicated as personal communications in the text of the report). Review of relevant research, popular literature and online references, and conservation and regional policy documents. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 5

6 Meetings with the development and specialist assessment team to identify and understand development options, effects and mitigation opportunities. Review of relevant technical assessments of proposal, particularly terrestrial and aquatic ecology and landscape effects. The Waitaha study area currently receives a low level of use for all of the recreational activities undertaken in the catchment, which includes whitewater kayaking, tramping, mountaineering and hunting. Total use of the Waitaha catchment is measured in the hundreds of visitors and, to some users, this low level of activity is an important appeal of the setting. Recreationists are drawn from a wide area, with international kayakers comprising, according to England (2011), more than 25% of the Waitaha kayaker population. Most trampers and hunters are drawn from outside the region 70% of entries in the Kiwi Flat hut book are by non-west Coast residents (those who did not identify their origin are excluded). Approximately 50 kayakers paddling the Waitaha Gorge section (and mostly portaging Morgan Gorge) annually. Fewer than 10 individuals might kayak the upper Waitaha Gorge (above Moonbeam Hut) and/or Morgan Gorge in any one year, although these sections might not be run at all for long periods, and there is a very limited pool of suitably skilled kayakers. Approximately 50 hunters use the Waitaha Valley area annually. Fewer than 150 trampers and day visitors access Kiwi Flat annually. The River below the Morgan Gorge is used rarely by jet boaters, and almost all angling is confined to the reach below and at the State Highway. The Waitaha River is identified as one of 14 grade 5 1 white water rivers on the West Coast which require helicopter access, and one of 24 grade 5 rivers in the region (of all access types). Although the River has grade 6 sections, the overall rating applies to the ability to portage those. The Waitaha is the 5 th -equal most kayaked grade 5 river on the West Coast out of 24. Helicopter companies servicing the Waitaha Valley, and the West Coast generally, have reported a significant recent decline in the positioning of recreationists in the backcountry over the past two years, with very little helicopter-based activity currently occurring. Various reasons for this radical decline have been suggested, with the recession and increased international competition for kayaking destinations commonly mooted. Despite these low use levels, the catchment is an important recreation setting due to its accessible but 'remote' natural setting, and the characteristics of its white water resource. This assessment concludes that the kayaking resource is likely to be of sufficient interest to off-shore paddlers, and to be of international significance to highly advanced kayakers, as part of the West Coast kayaking complex. The Waitaha Valley is also: Internationally and nationally significant for extreme kayaking (Morgan Gorge, upper Waitaha Gorge) and high grade kayaking (Waitaha Gorge) as part of the West Coast kayaking complex. 1 Charles (2006) defines the river grades: 1 moving water with a few riffles and small waves. Few or no obstructions. 2 easy rapids with waves up to one metre. Clear channels obvious without scouting. The ability to move your craft across the current is not necessary. 3 rapids with high, irregular waves and narrow passages. The ability to spin and manoeuvre is necessary. 4 difficult rapids requiring a series of controlled moves, cross-current and spinning in confused water. Scouting often necessary and a reliable roll is mandatory. 5 very difficult, long and violent rapids. Nearly always must be scouted. Definite risks in the event of a mishap. Requires a series of controlled, precise, must make moves to navigate successfully. 6 extreme, very dangerous and only for experts. Close inspection is mandatory and all possible safety precautions should be taken. Make my day the top end of the grading scale to date. Rather like staring down the barrel of a gun as Clint Eastwood sneers you have to ask yourself punk do you feel lucky? Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 6

7 Regionally significant in the lower valley (Kiwi Flat area) for tramping but nationally significant in the upper valley, particularly at Ivory Lake. Low use throughout. Regionally significant for hunting. Regionally significant for hot springs in the Morgan Gorge (mostly an element of the tramping and kayaking experience but identified as a specific destination by some visitors). Regionally significant for angling (lower River only, outside Scheme footprint). Locally significant for jet boating (lower River only, outside Scheme footprint). 1.2 Potential effects The potential effects of the Scheme will result from the: Temporary construction activities at Kiwi Flat and at the powerhouse site. Modified flow regime between the top of Morgan Gorge and the powerhouse tailrace. Introduction of head-works and generation infrastructure into settings which have only minimal developments for recreation purposes. Existing concessions and/or consents for gold mining in the upper Waitaha Valley and for schist removal in the lower Valley around the Macgregor and Douglas Creek areas are of sufficiently low scale and infrequency as to not modify the key setting characteristics for recreation of the Waitaha River. 1.3 Results of assessments All land-based recreational activities in the Waitaha Valley will be able to continue with only indirect effects caused by the introduction of hydro development structures in the setting and effects on natural character and visual amenity. Kayaking will be constrained by residual flow effects in the abstraction reach and the construction of a weir at Morgan Gorge. These effects include: The introduction of control and generation structures on an otherwise free-flowing river. The introduction of permanent (albeit removable) structures in a backcountry-remote landscape setting otherwise developed only for recreation. An additional 1530 m portage when flows between the top of Morgan Gorge and the Scheme tailrace are inadequate. A reduced opportunity to kayak the Morgan Gorge. A new information regime with, potentially, more live data about flow characteristics. A new requirement to communicate with a management agency (Westpower) if ceases to abstraction are sought for the Morgan Gorge and/or the Douglas Creek reach. For a take of 23 m 3 /s, and residual flow of 3.5 m 3 /s, flow effects are represented by a lower minimum flow at the Gorge (3.5 m 3 /s under the Scheme compared with 4.8 m 3 /s naturally) and a reduced period of time that mid-range flows exist. Flood flows are barely affected. While the preferred kayaking flow for Morgan Gorge is unclear, 2 mid-range flows of m 3 /s which currently occur for 40% of the time annually, will be available under the Scheme for 7% of the time annually (146 days per year to 26). Over summer (Dec, Jan, Feb), that flow range will be available for 13% of the time compared to 33% naturally (30 days per year to 12). Flows above 23.3 m 3 /s would be reduced from 40% of the time to 15% on an annual basis, and 23% over summer. Flows above 11.8 m 3 /s naturally occur for 2 More use of the Morgan Gorge would be needed to establish an ideal flow range. England (2011) notes of the Waitaha River in general: A lot of the Waitaha is very committing, set in gorges with steep rock sides. It is also physically and mentally (if not emotionally!) tiring, creating an epic adventure style of kayaking. On this trip, the Waitaha was at the lower end of medium flow and approx. 30 m 3 /s. It is commonly run lower than this and higher. At lower flows, holes can be even more powerful in places and rocks can be disconcerting, while at higher flows rapids can be very quick and powerful. It is unlikely that the Waitaha would get kayaked at flood flows as it would be very powerful and almost impossible to portage rapids in the gorges. It does, however, have a broad range of useful flows making the Waitaha s flow very reliable throughout late spring through to autumn. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 7

8 80% of the time and would, with the Scheme in place, occur only for 22% of the time, and 35% of the time in summer (a change of 292 days per year of flows over 11.8 m 3 /s to 80 days). This represents a constraint on the kayaking opportunity in the Gorge, and in much of the Douglas Creek reach for those portaging the Gorge as well as those kayaking it (a shift from the quite common availability of moderate-range flows to relatively infrequent availability). Kayaking options in the River above Kiwi Flat (including the Waitaha Gorge) will have no direct adverse effects from the Scheme. Although the potential for inadequate flows in the abstraction reach which includes Morgan Gorge and the section below the Gorge that those portaging the Gorge will normally rely on to complete their journey may influence some loss of uptake of the opportunity above Kiwi Flat. Options for mitigation are limited due to the basic change to the natural character and visual amenity values of the Waitaha Valley. It is recommended that: There are controlled ceases to abstraction at agreed times to provide natural flows in and below the Morgan Gorge. Online river flow information is provided to allow kayakers to optimise timing of their visits to all parts of the River. The location and standard of the access track to Kiwi Flat is reviewed to limit the visibility of generation infrastructure and to provide better views into Morgan Gorge, and to ease the additional portage below the Gorge when flows are inadequate. Alternative locations for the Kiwi Flat swingbridge are considered so as to limit visibility of the Scheme head-works by walkers and trampers. The residual net effect of the Scheme on Waitaha catchment recreation values will remain 'high' ( more than minor in terms of the RMA) in the Kiwi Flat area and from the top of Morgan Gorge to Douglas Creek. This is due to the introduction of development structures into a predominantly unmodified (besides for recreation) backcountry-remote recreation setting, and flow effects along the abstraction reach. At the regional level, the effect of the Scheme on West Coast recreation and tourism generally will be very slight due to the high number of alternatives available for all activities affected by the Scheme and the relatively low level of use of the Kiwi Flat area. The West Coast will retain its international reputation as a challenging kayaking setting with the Scheme in place, and the Morgan Gorge (and the remainder of the River) will retain its ability to challenge highly skilled kayakers, albeit with additional restrictions on its use due to the need to confer with a management authority (Westpower Ltd) if a cease to abstraction is required to provide a natural flow. This change from an uncontrolled river for kayaking may remove a key quality which makes the Morgan Gorge internationally significant for the activity (albeit, rarely used). Effects of the Scheme relevant to the RMA (including sections 6 and 7) are on the internationally and nationally significant status of kayaking opportunities on the River, although this scale of significance relates as much to the West Coast complex of kayaking opportunities as it does to the values of any single river. This effect will also impact on the outstanding characteristics of kayaking amenity on the River under the West Coast Regional Policy Statement. The Scheme may sustain nationally significant kayaking values on the River with the retention of current kayaking opportunities above Morgan Gorge. All other forms of recreation in the Waitaha Valley will retain their regional and local significance. The DOC CMS defines the setting as back-country remote, and a hydro-development is not compatible with this recreation management category. However, the outcomes set out in the CMS for the Hokitika Place will still be achieved with the Scheme in place. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 8

9 Importantly, the key components of the Scheme (weir, diversion structure and powerhouse) are removable if the generation capacity is no longer required. Table 1 summarises the effects assessment for the Scheme as proposed. Table 1: Scheme effects and mitigation summary Activity Effect Level of effect Recommended mitigation Residual effect Operation Kayaking the upper Waitaha Gorge, including the Waitaha Gorge and Kiwi Flat reach These kayak options will remain in place. Low no direct effect, but catchment changes may result in reduced uptake None possible but online flow information services will support kayaking amenity. Low Kayaking Morgan Gorge Residual flow reduces ability to kayak abstraction reach. High opportunity remains but is constrained. Controlled ceases to abstraction Online flow information services High Kayaking between Morgan Gorge and Douglas Creek Residual flow reduces ability to kayak abstraction reach. Extension to portage below Morgan Gorge. High opportunity remains but is constrained. Online flow information services Controlled ceases to abstraction High Kayaking whole river Change in natural state High None possible High Tramping and hunting Kiwi Flat Change in remote characteristics of visitor experience ('nature on its own terms') natural character effects based on location of new infrastructure in a backcountry-remote setting. High effect limited to Kiwi Flat area and ranging from moderate to nil in rest of upper valley. Relocate swing bridge over Morgan Gorge to avoid view of weir. Reroute access track to true left of the River. High at Kiwi Flat but may moderate over time as Scheme settles into the landscape. Similar reductions in effect in remainder of valley. Upper Valley Perception of control of River in an otherwise undeveloped valley setting (besides those for recreation). Low to nil depending on access route taken (perceptual only). As for Kiwi Flat above Low to nil Hot spring visitors Soundscape changes to Morgan Gorge experience (hot springs included) natural character effects of residual flow. Low None required Low Angling Aquatic ecology and residual flow effects from residual flow between Morgan Gorge and tailrace. Nil. Minor effect on trout habitat and very little if any effect on the scale of angling opportunity. None required Nil. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 9

10 Table 1: Scheme effects and mitigation summary Activity Effect Level of effect Recommended mitigation Residual effect Jet boating Residual flow effects from residual flow between Morgan Gorge and tailrace Nil. Low use setting. None required but online flow information services may assist boating. Nil or positive. Construction All setting users above Macgregor Creek (kayak, tramping, hunting, track maintenance) Construction noise and activity. Service flights. Significant but temporary. Online construction activity advice. General management of construction activities to limit footprint and inriver water quality effects. Avoidance of disruption to public access. Consider track realignment options (subject to landowner approval). Significant but temporary. Regional effects summary All activities Changes to recreation opportunities and setting characteristics, as described above, in one river valley on the West Coast. Low. There are numerous alternative backcountry-remote and white water settings. This assessment recognises that the Waitaha Valley has some local characteristics, such as poor access through lower valley, and all white water settings on the Coast have unique characteristics. As above Low Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 10

11 Figure 1: Location of Scheme and Waitaha Valley Greymouth Hokitika Figure 2 Key Tunnel Powerhouse Weir Scale 1 square km Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 11

12 Figure 2: Location of Scheme and definition of river reaches Lower Waitaha River Scale Douglas Creek Reach Alpha Creek 1 square km Morgan Gorge Waitaha Gorge Upper Waitaha River Kiwi Flat Reach Key Tunnel Powerhouse Weir Hot springs Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 12

13 2 Scheme description and proposed operating regime Westpower Limited is investigating a hydro-electric power scheme on the Waitaha River, Westland the "Waitaha Hydro Scheme" (the Scheme). The proposal involves diverting water from the Waitaha River where it enters Morgan Gorge at the downstream end of Kiwi Flat. The water would flow through a tunnel and penstock to a powerhouse on the right bank of the Waitaha, downstream from Morgan Gorge above the confluence of Douglas Creek, where the diverted water would be returned to the river. A minimum residual flow of 3.5 m 3 /s would be maintained in the Morgan Gorge and a section of Douglas Creek reach, with small additional inflows from tributaries in the abstract reach. Diversions of 19, 21 and 23 m 3 /s are being considered, and this review uses the 'worst case' of 23 m 3 /s as the basis for assessment. The residual flow of 3.5 m 3 /s is the same in all three scenarios. The weir that would be constructed at the top of Morgan Gorge would be a low profile structure up to 5 m above the existing bedrock in the river channel entering Morgan Gorge, approximately 30 m wide, 18 m of which would be weir with a depressed crest to allow the 3.5 m 3 /s residual flow (Figure 3). The weir would be approximately 1 metre thick. The remainder of the structure across the Morgan Gorge would be the diversion structure. Figure 3: Weir profile. Source: Hicks 2013 The design of the down-river face of the weir has not been decided but would allow for kayak access over the weir crest and into the gorge, and be designed in consultation with kayaking representatives. The depth of the drop, if a pour-over, would be approximately 3 m to the water surface. A diversion structure the intake channel would be built to the true right of the weir leading to two underground settling basins and a penstock intake. One settling basin would be able to be flushed of sediment while the other continued to provide flow for generation. A flushing channel would lead from the settling basins back to the river approximately halfway down Morgan Gorge and 10 metres above the river bed. Flushing would normally be carried out during floods or on their recession when the river is already turbid and at relatively high levels. There is not expected to be any deposition of material at the flushing tunnel outlet. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 13

14 The weir would create an initial backwater extending 250 to 300 metres upstream, and this would rapidly fill with sediment, possibly after the first flood. The weir would have little effect on flood flows because the structure is upstream of the natural throat of the gorge. The scale of the weir and diversion structures, and the limited aggradation in the river bed, means that the most obvious components of the Scheme would be removable, with the original river alignment at the entrance to Morgan Gorge able to be recreated. A powerhouse would be constructed upstream of the Douglas Creek confluence with road access to the powerhouse on the true right of the Waitaha River. A tailrace would return all diverted flow to the river above the Douglas Creek confluence at Alpha Creek (see Figure 2). The residual flow would therefore affect the River from the top of Morgan Gorge to this point (the 'abstraction reach', which includes Morgan Gorge and a section of the Douglas Creek reach). The tunnel from the powerhouse to the diversion structure at the top of Morgan Gorge may provide access for construction machinery and materials to Kiwi Flat. A laydown area and short road from the tunnel portal to near the Morgan Gorge entrance would be required for construction and maintenance. There is no proposal to construct a road from the powerhouse to Kiwi Flat. The existing tramping track on the true right of the river, which has recently replaced that on the true left, may be realigned to avoid development areas, but final track alignment will be decided in consultation with the Department of Conservation and user groups. The proposal is to maintain the current opportunity for recreational access to Kiwi Flat, although improved access standards might be considered if demand and preferences dictate. 2.1 Operating regime the residual flow The residual flow 3.5 m 3 /s plus tributary inflows is modelled to be maintained in a section of the Douglas Creek reach from the top of Morgan Gorge for 66% of the time (241 days per year) with a 23 m 3 /s take, but 44% of the time in summer (Dec, Jan, Feb). Figure 4 and Figure 5 show the flow exceedance curves for a full year and the summer season, respectively, based on 39 years of modelled data. The assessment made here is for the flow duration curve for a 23 m 3 /s take shown in magenta (the left-most curve in the figures). The existing flow regime is shown in blue (the right-most curve). The existing flow at the top of Morgan Gorge is above 4.8 m 3 /s for 100% of the time, above 11.8 m 3 /s for 80% of the time, and above 23.3 m 3 /s for 40% of the time. The flow range of m 3 /s occurs for 40% of the time. By comparison, with a 23 m 3 /s take and a 3.5 m 3 /s residual flow, the flow at the top of Morgan Gorge would be above 4.8 m 3 /s for 31% of the time, above 11.8 m 3 /s for 22% of the time, and above 23.3 m 3 /s for 15% of the time. The flow range of m 3 /s would occur for 7% of the time. During summer (Dec, Jan, Feb), with a 23 m 3 /s take and a 3.5 m 3 /s residual flow, the flow at Morgan Gorge would above 4.8 m 3 /s for 52% of the time, above 11.8 m 3 /s for 36% of the time, and above 23.3 m 3 /s for 23% of the time. The flow range of m 3 /s would occur for 13% of the time. The days of residual flow will not occur as consecutive days, but as intervals of time before a fresh or flood occurs every 8.6 days as a mean. The ecology of the river is dominated by these flood flows and the Scheme will have no impact on the occurrence or frequency of these. There are on average 42 floods and freshes per annum greater than 30 m 3 /s, the mean interval between flood peaks is 8.6 days, and the average flood duration is 41 hrs. Over a 39 years period of modelled data, there would have been, on average, 14 times a year when the residual flow state lasted less than a day, four occurrences a year when the residual flow state lasted less than three days, and about one occurrence a year when the residual flow state lasted 10 days. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 14

15 The residual flow of 3.5 m 3 /s below the intake at the top of Morgan Gorge is supplemented 300m downstream by Anson Stream, and again by Glamour Glen. These two streams boost the residual flow considerably after rain, and for 50% of the time they add a further 0.7 m 3 /s. The residual flow below Glamour Glen would be at least 4.2 m 3 /s for 50% of the time. Figure 4: Exceedance curve of the natural flow data (blue), and residual flow under three levels of take. Percentage of time flow exceeds stated flow levels in m 3 /s for full year Flow in m 3 /s Figure 5: Exceedance curve of the natural flow data (blue), and residual flow under three levels of take. Percentage of time flow exceeds stated flow levels in m 3 /s for summer Flow in m 3 /s Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 15

16 3 The Waitaha recreation resource and its management This section describes the recreational environment of the Waitaha River study area (the Waitaha catchment). It outlines the recreation opportunities within the study area, its land tenure and public access status, existing recreational facilities (and their maintenance) and the recreation management regime for the catchment. 3.1 Recreation opportunity settings The study area can be divided into the following recreation opportunity settings: The upper Waitaha Gorge above County Stream. This is a grade 6 extreme kayaking experience limited to highly skilled kayakers, and was first run in Windhover Gorge was portaged in this expedition and had not been run by the end of The main stem of the Waitaha River from the confluence with County Stream (immediately below Windhover Gorge) to the bottom of the Waitaha Gorge. This provides a grade 5 whitewater resource currently used by advanced-level adventure kayakers and was first run in the late 1990s. Morgan Gorge. This is a grade 6 kayaking experience limited to highly skilled kayakers, and was first run in Most kayakers will portage all, or much of, Morgan Gorge. The river section from the bottom of Morgan Gorge to Douglas Creek. This set of rapids presents whitewater of variable grades, suitable for a range of abilities and is accessible by foot. Trout are present in the river below the Gorge, but the main recreational fishing setting is near the State Highway Bridge (fish numbers and size are low in the Douglas Creek reach (Tom Drinan, EOS Ecology, pers comm), and angler access is poor). Kiwi Flat provides a destination for trampers and hunters (who may stay at Kiwi Flat Hut or stop-over on longer tramps). The Scamper Torrent 'weekend' tramping route. For some people this trip includes the Mt Durward Headlong Spur circuit. The track facilitates access above the bushline onto the tussock tops. The headwaters and wider catchment area. This includes the upper Waitaha River basin (Windhover Gorge and above to Ivory Lake) and the spurs leading to and from the Waitaha Valley onto the open tops. These provide access to a smorgasbord of tramping options in the surrounding valleys and ranges. This setting offers the opportunity for remote and challenging multi-day trans-alpine traverses. 3.2 Land tenure and public access The Scheme lies within public conservation land which encompasses the Waitaha catchment upstream of the Macgregor Creek confluence (approximately). The land unit is the Waitaha Forest Conservation Area (its legal designation is Stewardship Area) comprising 30,796 hectares, but abutting other public conservation land spanning the Southern Alps. Access into the Conservation Area is via Waitaha Road (on the true right of the River) and Allen Road (true left). The latter was traditionally the main access to the area, but relies on a section of track across private land which is not now generally available. A new track on the true right was cut in This relied on the prior renovation of the Kiwi Flat swingbridge (funded by Westpower Ltd) which spans the top of Morgan Gorge and connects the track with the Kiwi Flat hut on the true left. Helicopter access is often used, particularly for hunting, to Kiwi Flat and Moonbeam Hut, and by other recreational visitors to Ivory Lake and Top Waitaha Hut, amongst other places. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 16

17 Figure 6: Walking Access Commission Walking Access Mapping system output, Waitaha River, Sept 2013: Key Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 17

18 Figure 6 shows the Walking Access Commission's description of public access and recreation opportunities along the Waitaha River. This shows the location of public roads downriver of Douglas Creek and their disconnection with public land on the true left of the River. A road borders the boundary of the river on the true left, but this has been eroded and is now in the riverbed. The red dotted line from the road end on the true right indicates the existing access option to Kiwi Flat. An angler access point is indicated at the SH6 bridge. Helicopter access is common for positioning recreational visitors in the Waitaha Valley and DOC has issued 11 irregular aircraft landing concessions 3 in the Hokitika area, which includes the Waitaha catchment (Diana Clendon, pers comm. Sept 2013). Four operators have been identified as recently or currently active in delivering kayakers to the Waitaha River. The level and type of activity of these operators is discussed in section 5 for the recreation activities they service. 3.3 Tracks and facilities Three huts are sited within the Waitaha River Valley: Kiwi Flat Hut, Moonbeam Hut and Top Waitaha Hut. Another three huts are sited within the wider Waitaha catchment: Scamper Torrent Hut, County Stream Hut 4 and Ivory Lake Hut. All six are classified as 'basic', which means that they provide "very basic shelter with limited facilities and services" (DOC, 2008:1). They are six-bunk huts (with the exception of Scamper Torrent which is a four-bunker) and only Kiwi Flat Hut has a fire. All huts are maintained by DOC. Three bridges span the Waitaha River: at the top of the Morgan Gorge, at Moonbeam Hut and near the County Stream confluence. DOC intends to maintain all three bridges (a reversal of a 2004 decision to remove Moonbeam bridge see section 3.3.1). Following years with no track maintenance in the study area, DOC now intends to maintain the track into Kiwi Flat and to Scamper Torrent Hut. This decision resulted Kiwi Flat Hut, 2012 from a review of DOC facility maintenance which incorporated public input (see section 3.3.1). The volunteer group Permolat (see section 3.4) has been working since 2007 to redevelop and maintain tracks in the Valley. Table 2 shows the status of the tracks in the Catchment as recorded on the Remote Huts Westland website, which is used to coordinate Permolat activities. 3 Irregular landings are defined as, "no more than 2 landings per day, and no more than 20 per annum, at a given location. Landings may be authorised for the purposes of transportation of personnel and/or equipment to or from a variety of possible locations within the remote or backcountry-remote zones, or at frontcountry sites. This provides for landings for air charter purposes, but does not include regular landings at specific sites or scenic snow landings. (DOC, 2010, sec ). 4 The topographical map (J34) and some guidebooks refer to this hut as 'County Hut'. The name used by DOC is followed in this report. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 18

19 Table 2: Waitaha catchment tracks status Source: remotehuts.onlinegroups.net/tracks, accessed 18 May Verbatim Track Current condition Last cut Priority for re-cutting Agency or person responsible Next cut Kiwi Flat from North Bank of Waitaha Good 2012 High DOC Fully Maintain? Kiwi Flat Headlong Spur Track Overgrown Partial Remarking 2012 Medium Emma Richardson 2012 Kiwi Flat Moonbeam Track Relatively Good 2011 Medium Geoff Spearpoint 2015 Scamper Torrent Hut from Kiwi Flat Overgrowing but mostly OK 1990s? Medium DOC Fully maintain? Emma Richardson 2012 Urquhart's Knob Track from Kiwi Flat Vanished at start, probably very overgrown or gone elsewhere Early 1970s? Low No interest? Clearview Spur Track from Moonbeam Hut Reasonably Good 2007 Low-Med Andrew Buglass 2017 Moonbeam Hut to Chainman Creek Good 2011 Medium Geoff Spearpoint 2016? Recreation opportunities review In 2003/04, DOC undertook a national consultation process to discuss the level of provision of recreation facilities on public conservation lands. This 'recreation opportunities review' involved consultation with the community and key interest groups. In October 2004, DOC released its decisions from this review (DOC, 2004). Proposals upon which the Department sought comment included the intention to maintain all huts within the Waitaha catchment at a 'minimal' level. DOC defined 'minimal maintenance' as: Used for huts and other buildings. The building will be inspected by DOC on a regular cycle. Inspectors will travel with basic tools and equipment and some minor maintenance (that can be done during the regular inspections) will be undertaken. When the building is no longer weatherproof or becomes dangerous or unsanitary, it will be removed, unless there is a community group willing and able to bring it up to standard and maintained to standard (DOC, 2004:63-64). Submissions to these proposals indicated a considerable level of interest in the Waitaha study area: Scamper Torrent Hut attracted the greatest number of submissions of any proposal within the Conservancy (20 submissions, all against the proposal for minimal maintenance presuming seeking a higher level of maintenance, although this is not stated). DOC summarised the submissions' content thus: "Essential accommodation in the Waitaha Scamper Torrent Headlong Spur route. Classic backcountry hut. Classic backcountry weekend trip" (DOC, 2004:9). Kiwi Flat Hut drew 13 submissions (all against minimal maintenance). Submissions' content was presented as: "Important accommodation in both the greater Waitaha Valley trip and the Scamper Torrent Headlong spur route" (DOC, 2004:9). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 19

20 Moonbeam Hut 5 attracted 11 submissions (10 against and 1 for minimal maintenance). The summary of submission content states: "Part of the Waitaha system. Challenging location to visit. Well placed as accommodation when traversing the valley en-route to Ivory Lake" (DOC, 2004:10). Through the consultation process, additional opportunities were raised. DOC noted that "Further facilities were deemed to be required in this [Hokitika] area in order to create the opportunity mix for which the Central West Coast backcountry was valued" (DOC, 2004:13). These additional opportunities included (amongst others) access into: Lower Waitaha/Kiwi Flat, the Scamper Torrent Headlong Spur route, and the Waitaha and County systems including Smyth Range access. Final decisions from the review (see Appendix 2) resulted in a higher level of maintenance than originally proposed for four facilities and the reinstatement of three routes not originally proposed. Decisions about two huts and two bridges remained unchanged. No facilities were downgraded in maintenance level following public comment. Facility maintenance changes resulting from public comment were: Increased level of maintenance for Kiwi Flat Hut, Moonbeam Hut and Scamper Torrent Hut. Increased level of maintenance for County Junction bridge. Reinstatement of routes into the Lower Waitaha/Kiwi Flat, the Scamper Torrent access route and the Headlong Spur route (these were not originally proposed). No change to the proposed maintenance regime for County Stream Hut, Top Waitaha Hut, Morgan Gorge Bridge (also called the Morgan Gorge Swingbridge) and Moonbeam Bridge. Some facilities were not encompassed by the document because there was already an intention by DOC to maintain them (it was business as usual). These include Ivory Lake Hut, which will be fully maintained. The final decisions about facility maintenance show an increased emphasis placed upon the Waitaha catchment in response to public comment. The document summarised the situation thus: Consultation reinforced the value placed by traditional backcountry users on the valley based 'classic' tramps. The provision of marked routes through the scrubline to the open tops, in the central Westland Beech gap, was also deemed as important facility provision to offer a variety of untracked linkages to other valleys (DOC, 2004:60). In summary, the 2004 review showed that demand exists from recreationists for a backcountry experience within the Waitaha Valley and its upper catchment. The recreation opportunity is succinctly stated by DOC: The Waitaha valley will offer recreationists the ability to undertake a wild valley traverse on nature's terms in the Hokitika backcountry. This will be supported through the retention of the key facilities only (DOC, 2004: 60). These management decisions remain largely in place at 2013, although any additional interest in community maintenance of huts and tracks in the valley would be welcomed by the Department (Ian Wightwick, pers comm. Sept 2013). 3.4 Permolat volunteer maintenance group A volunteer group has been active in the study area, maintaining huts and tracks. This group calls themselves 'Permolat' (after the traditional form of track marker) and is web-based. The group's web homepage describes Permolat as "an online group for people interested in hands-on involvement in 5 Erroneously listed as County Stream Hut on page 7 of the document. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 20

21 the preservation of remote huts. There are currently around 144 folk in the group from diverse backgrounds, living around New Zealand and beyond" 6. Members are scattered across New Zealand with some international members. The group operates under a set of agreed conditions, including that they only maintain existing tracks (do not cut new ones), do not use DOC orange markers (instead use permolat) and use only hand tools (no chainsaws). 3.5 DOC Conservation Management Strategy The primary planning document which covers the Waitaha Forest Conservation Area is the DOC West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) (DOC, 2010). This document outlines the management intentions for the area. The CMS uses a recreational zoning system to plan for the provision of recreation opportunities. The Scheme falls within the zone termed 'backcountry-remote'. 7 This zone is described by DOC (2010:122) thus: The 'backcountry-remote' zone provides opportunities to access extensive natural settings where facilities are provided but a considerable degree of physical challenge, self-reliance and isolation is involved. Although users of these areas usually travel in groups for company and safety, the expectation is that groups will generally be small and that encounters with other groups will be infrequent, except on a limited number of high-use tracks and rivers. Huts and tracks that see relatively little use provide the opportunity for solitude for those who seek a greater sense of isolation and challenge but still need the security of some facilities, especially with the topographical difficulties and climatic extremes regularly encountered on the West Coast Te Tai o Poutini. Overnight use is more intensive at some sites and at certain times of the year. Within the backcountry-remote zone an extensive network of backcountry facilities (such as roads, routes, tracks, huts, bridges, cableways and signs) and road-end facilities (car parks, shelters, track information) provide access to a wide range of backcountry experiences. Many of these facilities pre-date the establishment of the Department of Conservation (1987) and were originally provided by the New Zealand Forest Service for their wild animal control operations. As a result, many of the huts, tracks and bridges were not designed primarily as a recreational resource, although from the outset they were available for recreational use. Trampers, climbers, hunters and fishers have traditionally used these facilities and, in the past, access has been largely on foot. However, in some places these patterns are now undergoing change as new activities (e.g. kayaking, rafting, mountain biking) create demands for access to areas in the backcountry-remote zone. Increased use is also now being made of air access for both new and traditional forms of backcountry recreation. The CMS identifies that concessionaire activity may take place within this zone. Several concessionaires were identified within the study area (discussed in section 5). The objectives for 'backcountry remote' zones are (DOC, 2010:123): 1. To provide access to a range of recreational opportunities via facilities that enable people to enjoy challenging natural settings in the backcountry. 2. To enable people to access extensive natural settings where: a) facilities are provided but a considerable degree of physical challenge, self-reliance and isolation is involved; 6 accessed 16 May The other recreation zones are: gazetted wilderness areas, remote, front-country, intense interest sites. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 21

22 b) groups of recreational users are generally small and encounters with other groups are infrequent (except on a limited number of high-use tracks and rivers); c) huts and tracks provide the opportunity for solitude for those who seek a greater sense of isolation and challenge, but still need the security of some facilities; and d) overnight use is more intensive at some sites and at certain times of the year. Eight policies for 'backcountry remote' zones are identified (DOC, 2010:123). The relevant policies are: That the zone should be managed to meet the desired outcomes described (see below) within the document and appropriate facilities and services provided. That concession activity should be consistent with the objectives and may be regulated (limits are given for party sizes and the maximum occupation rated for public campsites and huts provided). Small to moderate group sizes and a moderate degree of risk is deemed appropriate for concessionaire operations within this zone. That aircraft landings may be authorised. Other policies relate to recreation planning facets not relevant to the study area (popular campsites and formed roads). The CMS provides a vision for public conservation lands in 2020 (the end of the term of the Strategy). This includes statements about the recreation and tourism outcomes envisaged for The study area falls within the 'Hokitika Place' (s4.2.6), which extends from the Taramakau River in the north to the Waitaha River catchment in the south and inland to the crest of the Southern Alps Kä Tiritiri o te Moana. The outcomes include: Scenic and historic walks. A range of opportunities associated with rivers and larger lakes. A comprehensive network of backcountry facilities (with almost all the valleys of the backcountry containing tracks, huts and bridges). Concessionaires providing recreational opportunities. More specifically, the vision for 'backcountry remote' zones within the Hokitika Place includes the following statements (excerpts from DOC, 2010: ): New Zealanders continue to regard the extensive Hokitika backcountry as the country's backcountry adventurer 'capital', because of the comprehensive network of backcountry tracks, routes and huts. Opportunities range from multi-day valley and trans-alpine tramping via remote and challenging terrain, to day tramps and weekend trips to accessible huts or natural hot pools (the latter are found in several valleys, including at Cedar Flats and in the Taipo valley). A number of tramping tracks and historic huts are associated with historic routes across the Southern Alps Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, especially Harper Pass Noti Taramakau, Browning Pass Noti Raureka and Whitcombe Pass Rakaia Wai Pakahi. Numerous opportunities exist for extended north to south traverses utilizing routes and passes into the Newton Saddle, Mikonui, Tuke, Mungo and Waitaha catchments. Circuitous routes are also available, such as the Scamper-Torrent circuit up the Waitaha Valley and down the Smyth Range. Recreational facilities are generally concentrated on valley floors along the more popular tramping and traditional access routes. However there are several huts, ridge routes and a few bridges specifically sited to maximise 'non-tracked' linkages between valleys. Such facilities include Bluff Hut, Sir Robert Hut, Moonbeam Hut, County Stream Hut, County Junction swing bridge, Price Basin Hut and Ivory Lake Hut... Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 22

23 Hokitika is a world-renowned rafting and whitewater kayaking destination. The Styx, Toaroha and Kakapotahi rivers and Totara Lagoon are maintained as key places for kayaking that are free from high numbers of other users during kayaking trips. Irregular or occasional aircraft landing concessions may be granted throughout the backcountry-remote zone and the remote zone. Concessions may be granted for regular aircraft landings within the backcountry-remote zone where adverse effects on conservation values, recreational users, remote or wilderness values can be avoided or otherwise minimised. Regular landings may occur for the purpose of positioning backcountry recreationists (including hunters, rafters and kayakers) or for scenic landings (including scenic snow landings). Regular landing concession conditions specify restrictions on landing sites and frequency of landings. The Hokitika Place may be useful by providing a comprehendible geographic planning boundary for the relevant part of the CMS, but does not provide an adequate scale of assessment for the supply of some recreation opportunities, particularly kayaking. The supply of kayaking opportunities must be considered on the regional scale due to the mobility of kayakers and their national and international origins. Assessments of significance for kayaking and other forms of recreation in this report are therefore assessed on a wider scale than just the Hokitika Place. In summary, the CMS plans for a backcountry-remote recreation experience within the Waitaha study area. This involves protecting extensive natural areas for the physical challenge, self-reliance and isolation that they afford to users. Recreational use is facilitated by aircraft access and concessions provisions, as well as maintaining basic facilities. 3.6 Other existing consents and concessions Waitaha Gold Limited holds a mining permit granted by NZP&M and has a certificate of compliance with the West Coast Regional Council to carry out suction dredge mining in the Waitaha River. Activity is between the bottom of the Waitaha Gorge and the confluence of Macgregor Creek. The activity is permitted under the Regional Council's Land and Riverbed Management Plan 2012 which limits the scale of the activity by motor size (less than 7 kilowatts) and the in-river and terrestrial effects. A ten-year (to 2021) Access Arrangement has also been granted to Waitaha Gold Ltd by the Department of Conservation to allow equipment to be hand-carried onto the dredging site via, where possible, existing tracks. The application for the Arrangement states that the activity will be carried out on between five and ten weekends per year, and that the applicant may apply for access for a further ten years. The activity is small-scale, and encounters with other recreational users will be infrequent, and there would be only minor inconvenience for kayakers who should be able to either kayak around the pump or portage it. Noise is a potential local issue. There is unlikely to be any cumulative effects to consider for the Scheme although the residual flow may be more amenable to the dredge activity in the abstraction reach. It is worth noting that such activities can occur in backcountry-remote settings and are considered to have acceptable levels of effect. Similarly, a ten-year consent from 2008 is held by Gold & Green Resources Ltd to extract selected stone from the dry bed of the true left side of the Waitaha River running from the Douglas Creek confluence (and including several hundred metres of the lower Douglas Creek) for approximately 3000 m downstream. The annual limit is a maximum of 60 tonnes and a total limit of 200 tonnes. The activity is also of sufficiently low scale and largely in the more rural lower River setting to not have significant adverse effects on recreation amenity or contribute to adverse cumulative effects. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 23

24 4 Recreation activities and values: literature review This section reviews academic and popular literature to provide a description of the recreational activities carried out in the Waitaha catchment, and the values ascribed to them. The first section considers tourism on the West Coast generally. 4.1 West Coast and national tourism and recreation participation The Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM) (Statistics New Zealand, 2013) indicates that guest nights for domestic and international tourists for the West Coast regional tourism organisation (RTO) area (equivalent to the Buller, Grey and Westland District Council areas) had a peak in 2007 and 2008 which has not been repeated. Tourism activity levels for the year ended August 2013 are similar to those experienced in 2003, with a continuing decline. Figure 7 shows annual guest nights for New Zealand for comparison. Most other regions and New Zealand in toto encountered a dip in tourism activity from 2009 to 2012, from which there has been recent recovery. This recovery has not yet been evident on the West Coast. 1,300,000 Figure 7: Bed nights in the West Coast RTO area and NZ, year ended August Source: Statistics NZ CAM data 36,000,000 1,200,000 34,000,000 1,100,000 32,000,000 1,000,000 30,000, ,000 28,000, ,000 26,000, ,000 24,000,000 West Coast (left axis) NZ (right axis) Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) data for tourism expenditure placed the West Coast RTO as the 17 th most valuable tourism region in New Zealand of 32 (including the Chatham Islands) in 2012, with $287 million in domestic and international expenditure as recorded by electronic payment methods. 8 This was 1.66% of national tourism expenditure in However, the West Coast was 8 th for international tourism expenditure with 2.27% of international tourism spend in 2012, and 22 nd for domestic spend. 9 Tourism expenditure on the West Coast was almost 50/50 international and domestic. 8 retrieved October Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Wellington combined contributed 67% of international tourism spend in Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 24

25 The Ministry of Tourism, as it was, used to report on activities undertaken by tourists (domestic and international) on a regional basis, but these data were subject to large errors for most areas. The current MBIE tourism activity data is now only reported at the national level. Figure 8 and Figure 9 show selected activity participation data for international and domestic tourists in New Zealand, showing activities which occur in the Waitaha study area. Walking and trekking are among the most important (and growing) international participation activities, undertaken by over 75% of visitors (right Figure 8: Selected activities undertaken by international visitors to New Zealand Source: MBIE international visitor survey. Right axis walking/trekking only. 10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Climbing Hunting/Shooting Canoeing, kayaking, rafting Fishing Bird Watching Walking And Trekking (right axis) Figure 9: Selected activities undertaken by domestic tourists in New Zealand 2011 and Source: MBIE domestic visitor survey 10% 8% Year ended Dec 11 Year ended Dec 12 6% 4% 2% 0% Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 25

26 axis Figure 8). Other outdoor pursuits, such as kayaking and rafting are less popular with variable participation levels over time. The data for kayaking and rafting includes participation in sea kayaking which is a mainstream participation activity at, for example, Abel Tasman National Park. It is not possible to disentangle white water kayaking from these data. Domestic tourism is dominated by New Zealanders visiting friends and family and so participation data for tourism activities is relatively low compared with that of international visitors. The method of collecting domestic participation data was changed in 2010 and so data gathered before this date cannot be compared with that shown in Figure 8. However, walking and trekking is amongst the most popular activity, with relatively low levels of participation in other active pursuits. These data do not show domestic participation in activities local to home (when New Zealanders do not spend a night away from home). Full data for both domestic and international activity participation from the MBIE surveys is shown in Appendix 5. Sport New Zealand completes the national Active NZ survey periodically to identify sport and recreation participation levels and trends for NZ residents (Sport NZ, 2009a). The latest was completed in 2007/08 and was based on interviews with 4,443 adults aged over 16 years. The survey identifies any active pursuit participated in at least once during the 12 months preceding the survey date. Appendix 5 (Table 10) identifies the results for all NZ adults, with readily accessible pursuits such as walking, gardening, swimming and equipment-based exercise the most popular. Marine fishing was the most popular activity normally undertaken away from the home with 16.6% of the population participating (compared with 64.1% for walking). Tramping was also popular with 9.4% participating. Canoeing and kayaking were also relatively popular with 6.4% participating however, this activity grouping includes sea kayaking and sit-upons as well as white water craft and canoes, and it is not possible to unravel the different forms of activity. 10 Freshwater fishing was undertaken by 5.7% of the population and 4.4% went hunting. The Active NZ survey has inadequate sample sizes at the regional level to allow regional analysis of participation levels for such relatively low participation activities as kayaking and canoeing (Sue Walker, Sport NZ, pers comm). The Sport NZ Sports Market Survey (SMS) provides some regional data, but is based on an online panel survey and so is considered indicative only (Sue Walker, Sport NZ, pers comm, Oct 2013). The SMS also groups kayaking/canoeing activities, with the collated data showing Canterbury and the West Coast (a combined regional sports trust region) as having the lowest-equal levels of participation in the activity compared with other sports trust regions (5%). High participation regions have stronger traditions of coastal recreation (such as Northland (11%), North Harbour 10%) and Tasman (11%)). These regional data for domestic participation, and similar SMS results for tramping and hunting, are unlikely to prove useful for describing any regional differences in outdoor recreation participation preferences for the purposes of this study. 4.2 New Zealand Recreational River Use Study: specialisation, motivation and site preference Galloway (2008) reported on the findings of a survey of individuals who recreate on and around rivers in New Zealand (New Zealand Recreational River Use Study). Individuals were invited to participate in an internet survey via direct contact at river recreation-related events and electronically via a range of related web sites, group membership, internet bulletin boards, magazines and newspapers. Just over 1300 respondents completed the survey which ran from October 2007 to March Although the survey results cannot be considered representative of the recreation population, as the sample was self-selected and not randomly generated, they give a useful impression of the opinions and 10 An interpretation of the Active NZ survey results is provided by Sport NZ (Sport NZ 2009b), but as it does not provide a breakdown of participation styles, it is of no use for this analysis. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 26

27 preferences of what is probably the more active and aware end of the recreation participation spectrum. Twenty-three activities were represented in the data. The dominant respondents were white water kayakers, anglers and multisport participants. Respondents were grouped into four broad activity groups: boating (non-motorised) (55.4%), fishing (21%), boating (motorised) (2.4%), and shore-based (21.2%). The survey was designed to evaluate respondents' motivations and site preferences about their level of specialisation in their activity. It was not designed to ascribe values to defined reaches of rivers throughout New Zealand so, in that sense, its results must be treated conservatively. A list of 1043 rivers was compiled and respondents were asked to indicate up to ten rivers that they had last visited, and the next ten that they wished to visit. This provides a snapshot, rather than a complete picture of the respondents' experiences and views. A total of 4921 rankings were provided for 513 rivers. Rivers ranked more than 100 times included the Waimakariri (227), Tongariro (191), Buller (154), Hurunui (128), Kaituna (118), Mohaka (116), and Clutha (113) Rivers. The Waitaha was rated by 15 respondents out of 1300 (Galloway 2008: Table B1). Table B2 in Galloway (2008) identifies the recreation group of those respondents and, for the Waitaha, indicates: 7 were 'boating (non-motorised)', 2 were 'fishing', and 2 were 'shore-based'. There appears to be data missing in this analysis. Respondents were asked to rate their preferences for river grade. 11 The majority of boaters preferred river sections graded 2 to 4 (67.8%) as opposed to the harder grades 5 to 6 (4.5%), or ungraded rivers 12 (3.0%). Just over 50% selected grades 2 to 3. Grade 1 was preferred by 6.1%, grade 2 by 27.3%, grade 3 by 23.6%, grade 4 by 16.9%, grade 5 by 4.2% and grade 6 by 0.3%. The grade definitions are sufficiently similar to those used by Egarr (1995) and Charles (2006). For each visited river, respondents were asked to rate its scenic beauty, wilderness feeling, degree of challenge, and opportunity to develop Whanaungatanga / companionship, on a 9-point Likert scale (a scale of response options ranging from full (9) to no (0) agreement, with 5 a neutral response). The question was phrased generally, and therefore is not able to take into account the different values supported by different reaches of each river. At best, it provides a general, broad brush impression of the values ascribed to the whole river, compared to the general values ascribed to other rivers. Of 71 rivers nationally the Waitaha River was ranked: 16th for scenic beauty (a mean of 7.27 within a range of 3.05 for the Avon River to 8.6 for the Arahura River), 17th for wilderness feeling (a mean of 6.82 within a range of 2.0 for the Avon River to 8.38 for the Whataroa River), 4th for challenge (a mean of 7.27 with a range of 2.1 for the Avon River to 7.8 for the Ruakituri River), 1st for companionship (a mean of 6.82 with a range from 3.25 for the Hinemaiaia River to 6.82 for the Waitaha River), and 11 Charles (2006) defines the river grades: 1 moving water with a few riffles and small waves. Few or no obstructions. 2 easy rapids with waves up to one metre. Clear channels obvious without scouting. The ability to move your craft across the current is not necessary. 3 rapids with high, irregular waves and narrow passages. The ability to spin and manoeuvre is necessary. 4 difficult rapids requiring a series of controlled moves, cross-current and spinning in confused water. Scouting often necessary and a reliable roll is mandatory. 5 very difficult, long and violent rapids. Nearly always must be scouted. Definite risks in the event of a mishap. Requires a series of controlled, precise, must make moves to navigate successfully. 6 extreme, very dangerous and only for experts. Close inspection is mandatory and all possible safety precautions should be taken. Make my day the top end of the grading scale to date. Rather like staring down the barrel of a gun as Clint Eastwood sneers you have to ask yourself punk do you feel lucky? 12 This term is not defined in the report (Galloway 2008) and it does not appear as a response option in the questionnaire. Galloway (pers comm.) advises: "An ungraded river, in the sense I use the term, is one that hasn't been graded. I would interpret this as rivers that are very remote and/or difficult, rare at this point in time. 'Make my day' [Charles 2006] would fit too. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 27

28 9th overall (the grand mean) (a mean of 7.05 with a range of 3.22 for the Avon River to 7.69 for the Arahura River). Respondents were asked for their preference for the level of human development on or around rivers. A six point scale for development was described. Table 3 defines the development scales and shows the levels of preference. These data can only be applied in a general sense, as they are not specific to any named river. However, the development scales can be useful in describing the potential effect of introducing new structures into relatively undeveloped areas. In the analysis, the last three most-remote setting definitions, and certainly the last two, have fine shades of difference which are not helpful considering the subjectivity inevitably applied by respondents. The Waitaha River, with only development for recreation access, will be classed as either 'primitive' or 'semi-primitive'. Table 3. What river setting respondents preferred (Galloway 2008) Setting definition Urban Setting: An urban area may be found in extensively developed and populated cities and metropolitan spaces where virtually the entire landscape contains human-built structures. The water resources tend to be highly channelized, manipulated, or altered to contain large fluctuations in water flow and for the protection of public safety and property. Suburban Setting: A suburban area is on the fringe of the urban area. The sights, sounds, and smells of development and built structures are widespread. The water resources tend to be highly channelized, manipulated, or altered to contain large fluctuations in water flow and for the protection of public safety and property. Rural Developed Setting: A rural developed area is beyond a metropolitan area and the suburban ring of development. Development will be prevalent and common, yet the setting has a pastoral sense because of an interspersing of forests, water resources, hills, valleys, etc. Natural appearing shoreline edges are common, although various water controls or other structures are also common. Rural Natural Setting: A rural natural area is a considerable distance from metropolitan areas and communities. Natural features are predominant on the landscape and the presence of development is occasional or infrequent. The water resources are bordered by natural appearing settings. Water controls or other structures are occasional along the shoreline. Semi Primitive Setting: A semi primitive area is a large expanse of natural resources that is far from any city or metropolitan area and a considerable distance from small communities, subdivisions or developments. Natural resources dominate the landscape. These water resources are often within large expanses of public lands and waters. Primitive Setting: A primitive area is a large expanse of natural resources far from development and settlement. Any sights, sounds, or smells of human activity are rare and very minor. The water resources and shorelines appear natural and show very little, if any, evidence of past human use such as historic homesteads and roadways. Percent of respondents preferred Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of selected site values in general terms (not specific to any river). The highest rated items were 'clean and unpolluted river water', and 'wilderness character' and 'scenic beauty'. The lowest rated items were the availability of a car shuttle service, and the presence of bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, etc. Large differences were reported for how important the four groups rated the importance of preferred site values. Wilderness values were Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 28

29 highest rated among all activity use groups, and facility values lowest. The 'fishing' group placed significantly greater importance on wilderness values than the other three groups. The 'boating (nonmotorised)' group placed greater importance on social-skill values than the other groups. Respondents were asked to rate their ability according to what grade of river they could paddle. The majority of 'boaters (non-motorised)' preferred river sections graded 2-4 (67.8%) as opposed to the harder grades 5-6 (4.5%) or ungraded rivers (3.0%). Just over 50% selected grades An assessment of the whitewater recreational values of West Coast rivers whitewater kayaking England (2011) compiled a data set describing the values and users of kayaking rivers on the West Coast relying on: direct experience of kayaking 31 West Coast rivers; a photographic record of 31 kayaking settings; an on-line survey of the international kayaking community with 265 respondents; and a review of other West Coast kayak-related research, particularly RiVAS (see section 4.4). The author describes the nature of the analysis (England 2011:2): This report is not an academic paper. It is based on a range of data that will be described openly and are open to scrutiny. The overall aim of this report is simply to provide the Department of Conservation and anyone else who may need user data on West Coast rivers with a set of current data about whitewater kayakers/canoeists. One particular challenge was to take subjective views and create an objective resource. I have not made recommendations as I see this data set's purpose as contributing to decision makers' tools. England (2011:preface) reported, in summary: The research shows that, as a whole, the rivers of the West Coast region are the most highly valued in New Zealand and amongst the most highly valued in the world by whitewater kayakers. To whitewater kayakers around the world, the West Coast region is characterised by its rivers and its rivers are characterised by their high levels of challenge, scenery and wilderness. In comparison to other regions of NZ and the world, the West Coast region has a very high density of rivers that offer great whitewater challenge, inspiring river scenery and a strong wilderness feel. Added to this are such qualities as cleanliness and clarity of water, a range of access arrangements including helicopter access, geographic closeness of rivers meaning low travel times between rivers, and a wider regional experience that offers additional social attractions. That so many rivers of the West Coast are valued so highly does not belittle their assessment, but truly represents their remarkable qualities. It makes it impossible to segregate a common set of top rivers, but a general trend is that northern Westland has the highest concentration of top rated rivers for whitewater challenge, with very high scores for scenery and wilderness; while northern Buller and South Westland have small concentrations of rivers top rated for wilderness and scenery with high ratings for whitewater challenge. The main whitewater kayak users of West Coast rivers are highly specialised and experienced, which reflects and is reflected by the high proportion of more challenging rivers, yet the region is also held in high regard as a destination to aspire to by users of lower ability. Of interest is the demographic profile of survey respondents, showing that most whitewater kayakers on the West Coast are male, of widespread ages, educated to bachelor's degree or beyond, professionally employed with incomes above national averages. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 29

30 The full trip report for the Waitaha River and river-specific findings of England's on-line survey of the international kayaking community is provided in Appendix 3. At a relative level, the Waitaha was ranked amongst 60 West Coast rivers as: 35th for 'number of respondents' having used a river. 12th for percent of international respondents using a river. 8th for 'overall importance'. 5th for 'whitewater challenge'. 10th for 'scenery from river'. 5th for 'wilderness feeling'. England (2011:85) notes that the survey results have a "definite bias towards harder rivers, reflecting the respondents' profile [more advanced kayakers generally]." The survey period (winter 2009) preceded the first full descent of the Morgan Gorge (February 2010) and so the data will relate predominantly to the other sections of the Waitaha River. The results indicated high levels of accord with the values listed above, but there was less agreement over the reliability of the flow on the river (see Appendix 3). 4.4 River Values Assessment System (RiVAS) Hughey et al (2010) carried out a research programme funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to develop a 'useable' system for regional councils to assess the significance of in and out of stream river values in New Zealand. An assessment method called the River Values Assessment System (RiVAS) was developed and has been applied to several suites of recreation and natural river values within several regions. The RIVAS method has been applied to kayaking on the West Coast, but not for other regional recreation values. The RIVAS method relies on a panel of experts from a specific recreation activity to identify the regional resources able to be used for their activity, the resource attributes which indicate their importance for recreation, including the level of use, and to score various indicators of value to give a relative assessment of significance. For the West Coast assessment (Booth et al 2009), a list of rivers was provided by the West Coast Regional Council, and an expert panel identified 41 rivers that were regularly kayaked, or had been recently kayaked and were expected to become popular within the following three years. Several rivers were divided into sections, giving 58 kayaking runs to assess. Measurable attributes which afforded those rivers value for kayaking, and which were able to be assessed, were identified: Perception of scenic attractiveness. Perception of wilderness character. Density of high quality hydraulic features. Flow reliability (percent of time river is kayakable). Ease of access. Number of users (kayaker days per annum). User catchment (home district/region). Scarcity of kayaking experience. There was little primary data available so expert opinion was relied on to generate the assessments. The significance assessment for kayaking on the West Coast is shown in Appendix 4. Of the 58 West Coast kayak runs assessed, 28 were identified as of 'high' value, 29 of 'medium' value and 1 of 'low' Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 30

31 value. The Waitaha River was assessed as of 'high' value for kayaking. The use of the terms 'national', 'regional' and 'local' were avoided in the assessment as the analysis was not completed at a national level. An assessment of 'high' value indicates a high level of importance at the regional level, and this is likely to imply significance at the national level although a national-level assessment would be needed to confirm this. The assessment also considered the 'scarcity' of the type of run at a national level, and the Waitaha River was described as 'nationally scarce'. However, this score was given to 71% of the West Coast rivers reviewed, suggesting that most rivers on the Coast have been assessed as unique in some way. In the following tables, where the Waitaha River falls within a set of results, the relevant cell has a double border. Table 4 shows data taken from Booth et al (2009) and depicts West Coast kayaking runs by grade and the form of access to the run. Twenty-eight runs accessible only by helicopter were identified, all of grade 3 or higher. The Waitaha River was one of 14 grade 5 runs with helicopter access. Grade 5 and grade 4 runs were identified as the most common kayaking opportunities on the West Coast (24 and 14 runs respectively). Grade 5 can be applied to a river like the Waitaha where grade 6 sections can be portaged. Table 4: West Coast rivers: Grade by access Access (main form) Whitewater grade 2 2, 3 3 3, 4 4 4, 5 5 Total Helicopter Long walk-in WD 1 1 2WD Total Table 5 shows the number of West Coast river runs by kayak days per annum and river grade. The Waitaha River was reported to have approximately 50 kayak days per annum. That is, 50 kayakers spending a day or less on the River, which may include the same people doing more than one trip per year, and could be, for example, four trips with five kayakers on each. This is average to high use compared with other grade 5 kayak runs on the West Coast. The highest estimate of use of a grade 5 run was for the Kakapotahi River with 150 kayak days per year). It is important to note that the RiVAS use assessment provides an indication of levels of activity at a point in time, and these will change over the years. For example, helicopter operators report a significant decline in heli-kayaking activity on the West Coast since 2011 (see section 5.2) and the 2013 levels of activity may be far less than those reported in RiVAS. However, the use data provide, at least, a useful description of estimated relative levels of activity, if not absolute data although rivers which do not rely on helicopters for access might currently be relatively more popular. The total estimated number of kayak days for all runs reviewed on the West Coast is 4477, to which the Waitaha River contributed 1.1%. Runs on the West Coast accessible by helicopter supported 1787 kayak days per annum, and the Waitaha River contributed 2.8% of that activity. Grade 5 runs with helicopter access (14 thereof) on the West Coast supported 407 kayak days and the Waitaha River contributed 12.3% of that activity. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 31

32 Table 5: West Coast rivers: Grade by number of kayak days per annum Kayak days per annum Whitewater grade 2 2, 3 3 3, 4 4 4, 5 5 Total Total England (2011:3), who participated in the West Coast RiVAS assessment, says of the method: This method has the strength of being relatively easy to repeat by regional councils, for which it is aimed, and applicable across various river-based activities. In my opinion, the numerical base for the system offers a limited insight into a region's river activity, albeit useful and a vast improvement on the knowledge that usually exists in organisations such as regional councils. Where applied, it is also useful in that it is current and (if staff are involved directly) helps staff to increase their understanding of relevant issues for river users. and also (15-16): The West Coast report was the first, trial, application of this method to whitewater kayaking (it had previously been applied to salmonid angling). From my experience this year, I see the following issues: The expert panel made a few mistakes (valuable sections omitted and at least one river, the Cascade, scored incorrectly) which could in part be due to trying to cover so many rivers in one day, a problem made worse by the West Coast region having so many rivers There was no written descriptive overview for the region (this has since been amended in the method) The headings were not all agreed upon and therefore may have been interpreted inconsistently (this has since been amended in the method) The overall product, a set of numerically ranked rivers, is of limited depth and value on its own; it requires further examination to be used as a decision making tool but could be useful for a strategic planning tool Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 32

33 Nevertheless, RiVAS provides the most completed description and analysis of white water settings on the West Coast. The reductionist approach enables identification of the basis for each assessment, and while there may be disagreement about site-specific conclusions, RiVAS remains a significant resource for identifying the scale of alternative kayaking options on the West Coast and the level of resource substitutability. Debate about absolute and relative values of river settings should not result in the RiVAS data being ignored. 4.5 Water bodies of national importance As part of the Government's assessment of Water Bodies of National Importance, work has been undertaken to identify water bodies of value for recreation and tourism. The recreation report, titled Potential Water Bodies of National Importance for Recreation Value (MfE, 2004), lists 105 freshwater bodies including lakes, river and wetlands that are potentially important for recreation. The West Coast makes the greatest contribution to the list with 24 water bodies, however the Waitaha River is not one of them. The list was derived from an internet survey of recreationists, a telephone survey of the public, a literature review and discussion with selected representatives of recreational groups. The report has many inconsistencies and the base research has significant weaknesses. The equivalent report for tourism (TMT, 2004) used activity data from the International Visitor Survey and Domestic Travel Study to identify trips associated with freshwater bodies and included the following 'activities': scenic cruises, beaches, jet boating, glow worm caves, swimming, caving, white water rafting, black water rafting, lake fishing, river fishing, sailing, river kayaking, water skiing and punting. The dataset identified the top eight freshwater destinations (which did not include any destinations on the West Coast) and the top ten freshwater activities. To refine the analysis to individual water bodies, tourism organisations were contacted for their input. Since the West Coast did not contain a nationally significant tourism freshwater destination, no further analysis was undertaken for regional water bodies. A separate listing is given of freshwater bodies important for their scenic appeal rather than use value. Four of the 17 water bodies are on the West Coast: Lake Kaniere, Lake Brunner, Lake Okarito and Lake Matheson. In summary, the Waitaha River is not identified as nationally significant for recreation or tourism in the assessments outlined. Although the West Coast region features strongly and the collective of freshwater bodies on the West Coast is notable, the method, which is based on coarse and limited data, and inadequate specialist review, limits the value of these publications. 4.6 New Zealand recreational river survey The only comprehensive assessment of recreation potential of inland waterways was undertaken over three decades ago (Egarr and Egarr, 1981). Unfortunately, these data are of little use for the study area, as the Waitaha River had not been kayaked above Morgan Gorge at that time (the first descent was in the late 1990s). The following script from Egarr and Egarr (1981b:31) reinforces that the focus of that evaluation was on the reaches below Morgan Gorge: WAITAHA RIVER [River No. 32.0, Catchment No ] Location: The Waitaha flows west from the main divide through three gorges (The Windhover Gorge then the longer Waitaha Gorge, then, after flowing through the short, braided Kiwi Flat, the Morgan Gorge). River mouth location: NZMS1, S Maps: NZMS18, Sheet 17 Hokitika; NZMS1, Sheet S57 Ross; S64 Ianthe. Length: 39km (includes Stag Creek). Average gradient: 1:166 6m/km. RECREATIONAL USE: Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 33

34 Motor launches: Too shallow. Jet boats: Boatable almost to Morgan Gorge but requires an above normal flow before reaching its best potential for jet boating. This river tends to rise and fall quicker than many of the other rivers in this area. Drift boats, rafts, canoes/kayaks: Road access is provided as far upstream as the bottom of the gorge. From this point the river flows over shallow shingle stones giving some easy rapids with the odd log snag. The gorges offer excellent water but access is a problem. Pack floating: Unused. Swimming: Limited use immediately below the main road. Scenic description: The Waitaha River flows from the main divide down a very steep, stony channel and into its first gorge: the Windhover Gorge, at about the tree line. From this point it flows down to Kiwi Flat in a narrow rocky channel through the bush. The river is wide, flowing over shingle at Kiwi Flat and then plunges into the short Morgan Gorge after which it gradually opens out before meeting the coastal plain. Normally the river is only used from the road end at the foot of Morgan Gorge and from this point the river bed is mostly wide and braided. The shingle covering the valley floor is coarse, creating some interesting shallow rapids with a number of logs which need to be avoided. The right bank of the river gradually rises to dry ground that is farmed. Steep bush-clad hills flank the river valley. There are few rapids below the main road bridge. Scenic value: Moderate. Recreational value: Intermediate. The Egarrs' report provides rankings of rivers/reaches for recreational and scenic value and goes on to select the most important that deserve protection for their recreational value. The Waitaha River was not selected. The Waitaha River's use value would be increased by its change in: recreational use status (being kayaked above and through Morgan Gorge), and recreation access opportunities brought about by, for example, improved kayak design and manufacture, and the more common use of helicopters. 4.7 National angling surveys The only nationally available dataset about freshwater recreation is collected for Fish & Game New Zealand the national angling survey. Data are based on surveys of anglers and have been published for three periods: 1994/96 (Unwin and Brown, 1998) and 2001/02 (Unwin and Image, 2003) and 2007/08 (Unwin 2009). Annual angling days on the Waitaha River ranged from 190 in 1994/96 and in 2001/02, to 440 in 2007/08, all with large error margins (over ±40% in 1994/95 and 2007/08, and ±84% in 2001/02). The Waitaha River contributed less than 1% of all angler days recorded in the West Coast Fish and Game region in 2007/08. Changes in levels of angling activity on the River from year to year are largely accounted for by variations in the quality of the annual salmon run (2008 was a relatively good year), which is a common feature with angling activity on the West Coast in general (a good salmon year can double regional angler licence sales) (Dean Kelly, Fish and Game West Coast, pers comm, Nov 2013). 4.8 Tourism development and enterprise opportunities on the West Coast associated with track and water resources A review of tourism development opportunities associated with track and water resources on the West Coast (TRC, 2007), did not highlight any opportunities within the Waitaha. In its stocktake of tracks and waterways, the report noted that the Waitaha River offers kayaking and trout fishing. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 34

35 4.9 Guidebooks Outdoor recreation guidebooks were reviewed to assess the prominence and frequency of mention of the Waitaha study area. Results were: Barnett et al (2012) describe the Top Waitaha Hut as a "classic" Forest Service hut built in 1968 and detail the history behind the construction of the Ivory Lake Hut in Listed in the New Zealand whitewater kayaking guidebook (Charles, 2013). Egarr's (1995) guidebook was prior to the first descent of the Waitaha Gorge and indicates that the River was considered navigable only below Morgan Gorge. Scamper Torrent chosen as one of ten weekend tramps on the West Coast one of 47 in the South Island (Groves, 2003). Several trips identified within the primary regional tramping guidebook (Brabyn, 2004), but no mentions in regional day hike guides. The Waitaha study area is not referenced in tramping guidebooks which feature, for example, the top 100 tracks (or similar selections). Occasional (but very brief) mentions in several fishing guidebooks (in the downstream reach of the river, and therefore largely outside the study area). Guidebook descriptions of recreation opportunities within the Waitaha study area are outlined next Shelter from the Storm Shelter from the Storm details an extensive history of tramping huts in New Zealand. Spearpoint et al (2012) describe the Top Waitaha Hut the first constructed in the valley as a "classic" Forest Service hut built in 1968 to service deer cullers. The construction of Ivory Lake Hut in 1970, to support study of the Ivory Glacier, is provided in detail, with the text: In April 1968, Chinn [glaciologist Trevor Chinn] led a party into the Waitaha Valley to inspect the tiny (0.8-square-kilometre) Ivory Glacier. No tracks existed in the Waitaha, and Chinn's only prior knowledge of the valley came from explorer Charles Douglas, who in 1892 had described it thus: 'for grand scenery and difficulty getting to see it, this river very nearly holds first place in Westland'. (p327). The hut, as it is now, is described as a "coveted destination for trampers heading into this wild valley." (p328) New Zealand Whitewater: 125 Great Kayaking Runs In the 4 th edition of this guidebook (the most recent at September 2013), the Waitaha River is awarded national status. Charles (2013) calls it one of the best runs in the country: One of the best runs on the coast and thus one of the best in the country, this is a step up from the Arahura and Whitcombe it even has a lovely wander through lush forest near the end! The normal put in is just above Moonbeam Hut. A short warm up and Class IV boulder gardens lead down to 'the big drop', an obvious slot between two giant boulders and HUGE hole at the bottom. Good luck, and keep ropes handy. Clear of this some more boulders take you into an easy gorge and a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery. The tunnel section is next up and has three big rapids in a row culminating in The Tunnel. This is a fabulous stretch of water and is all portageable if needs be. The river takes a break for a while and pushes through a couple of gorges. You'll come to an obvious rapid which runs hard into a wall and then turns hard right through a very small gap. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 35

36 Either run the rapid or portage on the right and seal launch off the obvious break in the cliff into the run out of the rapid. Things ease after this down to the portage. Once down to Morgan Gorge, find the track on the left and get amongst it. It is a hard work portage no matter who you are. If it is your first time it is a good idea to stick together as it is very easy to wander off the track and waste time trying to find each other. Put back in wherever you feel the urge. There is still some solid Class IV boating (which feels harder because you'll be knackered) before the gradient eases right off to the shingle fan and walk up to the cars. 'Don't go into Morgan Gorge,' the Hot Tip used to say. I should know... / wrote it. I must 've forgotten as we sat at the entrance to the gorge in January We had run the river in four hours and arrived at the portage around the gorge in the early afternoon. When we flew over the gorge it looked like some good lines existed and there were some portages around the impossible stuff. Like moths to a flame we were all drawn to the excitement of the unknown. Like a lost world the twisting corners kept things hidden, there were some hard drops, some mandatory portages and we were in up to our armpits. We made it over halfway through before we met our nemesis, a rapid no one wanted to try, but with no way back and no way around. We left the boats and began the climb up the only possible break in the vertical moss walls. We made the cars that night after seven hours of walking and bush crashing. The boats took a further nine hours the next day after we abseiled in and hoisted them out and carried upstream and eventually around the gorge. It wasn't until 2010 that a strong local team ventured back in, had good water levels for it and put what was left to rest. It s very flow dependent and even strong teams still have to climb out if levels aren t right. To get to the TAKE OUT: phone the farmer for permission ( ). Drive south from Hokitika to the Waitaha Valley Road on the Hokitika side of the river (about 600 metres past the Kakapotahi Road). Drive about 10 km up this road to a DOC carpark and the start of the track. Make sure you can recognise the take out from the river and there is room for the helicopter. Other Stuff: It is possible to walk in to Morgan's Gorge if you want. This is a 3-4 hour walk followed by some difficult, f low dependent paddling to get out. Enjoy. In 2012 Justin Venable, Zak Shaw, Keith Riley (cover photograph) flew into the upper reaches of the Waitaha starting at just over 1200m in elevation near Ivory Lake. This added two days of exceptionally hard kayaking and portaging on top of the classic run. They portaged Windover [sic] Gorge. CLASS: IV - V+ LEVEL: Low/medium GAUGE: Visual/local LENGTH: 8.5km TIME: 5-9 hrs PUT IN: above Moonbeam Hut TAKE OUT: Waitaha Vly road end on Hokitika side of the river SHUTTLE: Helicopter - see providers on page 321 [reference to a list of helicopter companies later in the book] MAPS: BV17 Kakapotahi, BW17 Harihari, BW18 Whitcombe Pass CHARACTER: Steep boulder gardens, big drops Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 36

37 VERY HOT TIP: Morgan Gorge is an unreal place but think carefully about timing and flow before heading in. Charles uses the following river grading system (2006:14-15): Grade 4: difficult rapids requiring a series of controlled moves, cross-current and spinning in confused water. Scouting often necessary and a reliable roll is mandatory. Grade 5: very difficult, long and violent rapids. Nearly always must be scouted. Definite risks in the event of a mishap. Requires a series of controlled, precise, 'must make' moves to navigate successfully. For other summary descriptors that are not self-explanatory, Charles states that: River flow 'level' is an indication only and does not represent the only flows at which a river may be run. The 'gauge' of visual/local means "figure it out yourself" (p15) and presumably seek local knowledge. 'Length' represents the distance from the put in to the take out New Zealand's South Island Rivers: A Guide for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters Graham Egarr prepared this guidebook (Egarr, 1995) prior to the first descent of the Waitaha Gorge in the mid-1990s. His description of the Waitaha indicates that at the time the River was considered navigable only below Morgan Gorge. The guidebook was published in 1995, but followed his untimely death, so it is not clear how much earlier the Waitaha material was written. His description of the Waitaha River (Egarr, 1995:61): There are three gorges on the Waitaha River. The Windhover Gorge is very steep, and the river in it is probably too small for trips. The Waitaha Gorge is longer, but has a gradient of 34m/km over its 4.5 km length, which is an indication that the rapids would be too severe if flow levels were sufficient for navigability. The Morgan Gorge, which is below the other two, is even steeper. The river from the road-end down to the main road bridge is a fast run over shingle with numerous shingle chutes, with occasional log snags and rocks that need to be avoided grade II South Island Weekend Tramps Groves (2003) describes the Scamper Torrent tramp as "another classic West Coast trip, comparable to the Mt Bowen tramp" (p75). He goes on to explain: "The approach has all the right ingredients for a trip on the west side of the Main Divide: a rough access road, a boulder-hop along the Waitaha River, an impassable gorge to circumvent and a steep trail through thick forest to the tussock tops" (p75). The trip description includes reference to the following features: Morgan Gorge "a typically impressive West Coast canyon" (p76). An "inaccessible" hot spring, "a little upstream from the confluence with Anson Creek" (Anson Stream, which is the correct name, is the wrong location for the spring, which is upstream from Glamour Glen). Fine views to the lower Waitaha River Valley upon reaching the tops. Blue ducks near Scamper Torrent Hut. The location of Scamper Torrent Hut -- "set in a pretty valley, with the craggy and complex slopes of Mt Durward rising directly above" (p75) and "views southwards to the ravine-cut slopes of Mt Durward, rising above" (p77). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 37

38 The trip summary description provided is: Duration: 2-3 days. Grade: Moderate/hard (route-finding skills required). Time: hours total. Allen Road end to Scamper Torrent Hut (4 bunks): 7-8 hours. Map: Harihari I34. Access: From end of Allen Road, off SH 6 at Pukekura, 6 km north of Lake Ianthe. Alternative route: Ascent of Mt Durward, returning via Smyth Range and Headlong Spur. Allow an extra day for this trip, or hours total (Scamper Torrent Hut to camp above Headlong Spur: 8-11 hours. Camp above Headlong Spur to Kiwi Flat Hut: 3-5 hours, depending on camp height. Kiwi Flat Hut to Allen Road end: 3-4 hours). Information: DoC Hokitika, Ph ; DoC Franz Josef, Ph WARNING! Side creeks can rapidly become impassable after heavy rain. The description of the Mt Durward/Headlong Spur extension is classed as 'hard' (see below) with the route along the Smyth Range offering "sensational views as you cruise along these open basins and broad tops, with Mt Evans and Whitcombe dominating the eastern horizon. Across the Wanganui Valley to the south you can look into the Garden of Eden and Garden of Allah snowfields, whose large icefalls plunge into remote westward-facing valleys" (p77). Groves (2003:7) describes his track gradings as follows: On a 'moderate' trip you may have river crossings, and there could be steep sections of track over slippery rocks, mud and tree roots, as well as travel on unmarked, open tops. Some days can be quite long at this grade; an occasions, expect eight hours tramping or more, depending on how you have planned the trip. A 'hard' tramp may involve even longer days, but more usually this grade reflects the rugged nature of the terrain, with route-finding difficulties and long stretches of unmarked travel above the bushline or short sections across snowfields Arthur's Pass to Mount Cook: A Tramping Guidebook This guidebook (Brabyn, 2004) offers three tramps in the study area (and some trips with linkages between the upper Waitaha Basin and other valleys). A strength of Brabyn's book is the effort he takes to combine routes into round trips and thus minimise transport difficulties. On his website 13 Brabyn provided postings stating that track conditions have improved following the work of volunteers (Permolat) in August 2007 (see Table 2, page 19 for the most recent track condition data). Thus his statements about track times and difficulty in the following excerpts are out of date. The Hitchin Range trip is described as a hard, adventurous, 5+ day, high tops route that traverses: Top Waitaha Ragged Peak Ridland Saddle Robinson Slip Waitaha east bank. He notes that "all routes out from the Top Waitaha are adventurous, and only high-level routes are recommended on account of the poor state of the tracks down the Waitaha gorge" (2004:129). This route includes potential use of Top Waitaha and Ivory Lake Huts. Brabyn outlines a trip that he titles Top Waitaha County Wanganui River (hard, adventurous, 5+ days, high tops). The route is Top Waitaha Bloomfield Range County Stream Smyth River Wanganui River, with potential use of three huts: Top Waitaha, County Stream and Smyth. He states (p130): This trip describes another high-level route from the head of the Waitaha River, this time over into County Stream, and over to the Wanganui River. It is not a round trip and is probably best done in combination with helicopter access. The low-level route from the Top Waitaha into 13 Accessed in 2008 but not available in 2013 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 38

39 County Stream is not advised because of the serious boulder-hopping down the river, and the poor state of the tracks. The third trip in this guidebook is Scamper Torrent Smyth Range (moderate-hard, track to bushline, 3 days, spectacular tops). The route is given as: Waitaha road-end 3-4 hours Kiwi Flat 3-4 hours Scamper Torrent Hut Mt Durward return. Brabyn (2004:130) notes: Scamper Torrent Hut is superbly situated in an alpine basin, typical of the front ranges of this area of the West Coast. Parties often get confused with the start of the route up the Waitaha valley. Follow the old road, as marked on the map, along the edge of the hill-side. Near the end of this road, a marker indicates the start of a well-overgrown bulldozer line, that may be obscured by encroaching gorse and scrub. Further along this bulldozer track, a stream-channel is followed for 200m or so, and then a track cuts across to Douglas Creek. From here, boulder-hop along the riverbank until reaching the rock walls of Morgan Gorge. Climb the boulders of Glamour Glen for 50m or so, and pick up the currently rather overgrown track that climbs high above Morgan Gorge and sidles through to Kiwi Flat. At Anson Creek it is worth a look down into Morgan Gorge. It is also well worth the side-trip to the swingbridge at the top end of the gorge. The track to Scamper Torrent Hut starts 100m or so up Labyrinth Creek, and currently the initial first section of this track is very overgrown and hard to follow. Further up, the track is better defined, but it also gets very steep in places. The rata forest on this spur is particularly attractive, but nevertheless getting to the tussock mound at the top of the track will be a welcome relief. Marker poles lead off the mound to a steep overgrown route down to Scamper Torrent, emerging about 500m below the hut. This route is difficult to locate, but it is essential that it is found. The hut is in excellent condition. He goes on to describe the following routes: Mt Durward (hard), Smyth Range Headlong Spur (hard), Waitaha Valley (hard). With reference to the latter Brabyn (2004:130) says that: The track up the Waitaha gorge beyond the Headlong Spur turn-off is very overgrown and has a lot of storm damage. A large slip shortly after the turn-off is problematic. Most parties take a very long day to get from Kiwi Flat Hut to Moonbeam Hut, and then turn back. Brabyn's route descriptions highlight the importance of track maintenance in this country. Without cut tracks, travel is very slow Kiwi Flat hut book Data for bednights and day visits as recorded in the Kiwi Flat hut book from 2000 to 2012 are shown in Figure 10. While hut book data are not a reliable means to measure numbers of users, figures show a base level of use. The proportion of users who record entries is not known. DOC estimates that approximately 30% of hut users do so, however this proportion is likely to be much higher for more remote huts (Booth 2008) and the figures shown are therefore conservative. A new hut book was installed in the hut in 2006 and it is not clear if there was a gap in provision day visits are low but bed nights for the year are not unusual. The new hut book had no records of use from October 2006 until Christmas 2006, which was a relatively wet period. If hut book records (annual averaged over a 12 year period) are trebled (using DOC's estimated 30% hut book entry rate), then it is estimated that Kiwi Flat receives approximately 210 bednights per annum, plus approximately 75 day users. The data do not include entries made by consultants or staff engaged by Westpower who were involved with investigations for the Scheme. Figure 11 indicates the activities recorded in the hut book. Tramping is the main activity. Many visitors did not record their activity ('not stated') but comments indicate that most of these people were tramping or hunting. Activities recorded with both 'tramping' and 'hunting', or 'armed tramping' have Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 39

40 been described as 'hunting' in the chart. Some entries stated both 'hot pools' (or 'hot springs') and 'tramping' and these have been described as 'hot pools'. Those recorded as 'DOC work' may have included visitors involved in volunteer track maintenance as well as DOC staff. Data illustrate the popularity of Kiwi Flat with hunters in the roar (autumn). Figure 10 and Figure 11 show that there has been an increase in annual bednights spent at the hut from 2006 (an average of 42 bednights recorded pre-2006 compared with 72 post-2005), but the total number of visitors has not changed to the same degree (averages of 58 and 65 people for the same periods, with the peak 2012 data solely responsible for the difference). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 40

41 Figure 10: Bednights and day visitors recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, Figure 11: Activities recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, , by visitor count Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 41

42 Figure 12: Origin of visitors recorded in Kiwi Flat hut book by year, Figure 12 shows the origin of visitors as recorded in the hut book. It is not known whether New Zealanders are more or less likely to make entries compared with international visitors. Where there were multiple members of a party and multiple locations named, the data were allocated evenly across the stated origins. Rounding of data in the chart accounts for the differences in, for example, the scales provided for Australia and Asia. Locations have been grouped, with 'local' referring to those living between Fox Glacier and Ruatapu on the West Coast. Seventy-percent of entries in the Kiwi Flat hut book were by non-west Coast residents, if those who did not identify their origin are excluded. Other locations on the Coast are referred to as 'West Coast'. Sixteen percent of respondents described themselves as from 'New Zealand' only and 13% gave no location. These data can only be described as indicative, but show that recreational visitors to the Waitaha Valley come from a wide area, with only approximately a quarter from the West Coast. Many internationals were accompanied by a New Zealander Websites and blogs The most comprehensive website associated with the Waitaha study area is the 'remote huts' site, which also hosts the online Permolat group (discussed in section 3.4). This site provides detailed descriptions available of the area and its tracks, routes, huts and to her facilities. Other websites and blogs that record recreation-related information about the Waitaha study area were identified from a web search. The Waitaha tracks are not specifically mentioned on the DOC website although various other West Coast tracks are listed. Several kayakers have blogs which record their trips on the Waitaha River and often have text associated with their concerns about the Scheme. Typical sites are passion 4 adventure 14, bottoms up 14 accessed 17 May Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 42

43 kayaking 15 and dreaming of whitewater 16. The former includes a video clip of a descent of the Waitaha Gorge and states (verbatim): The difficulty of the whitewater is un-relenting and is mostly found in the several committing bedrock gorges. Once the third gorge opens out and the valley walls widen, the intensity backs off briefly before smooth schist walls rise again and the river dramatically carves its way into the heart of the Morgan gorge. It doesn't get much better. Like most west coast rivers, the Waitaha river flows through an environment second to none, one you can paddle through! Waitaha Gorge. Source: Image credit: Zak Shaw The bottoms up kayaking blog provides another description of kayaking the Waitaha and portrays its role in the West Coast adventure kayaking experience (verbatim): In mid March myself [plus others] embarked on a ten day kayaking fiesta on New Zealand's South Island The west coasts Big Day Out The Waitaha River! has about as much hard quality whitewater in it that you could cram into one day. And its beauty lies in its variety, this river has it all; continuous read and run, steep technical drops, narrow, committing gorges with a big water push, slides, boofs, sticky holes, must make eddies, seal launches, it even has a rapid that flows though a cave (my personal favorite). And just to make sure you earn all this fun there is an hour long, hard work portage around Morgan's gorge. If your feeling up to it you can paddle the remaining 250 meters of the gorge. It's a continuous, big water blow out down into the eddy at the bottom... I now remember why I had thought of this river as my favorite run on the coast, you couldn't get any more action into one day of boating. Website information pertinent to specific activities or values is discussed in sections 5 and accessed 17 May accessed 17 May Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 43

44 5 Current recreational use This section describes the type and style of use undertaken in the study area. Information presented in this section has been drawn from stakeholder interviews (in Booth 2008 and for this study), the consultation meetings described in section 1, as well as popular recreation literature, such as guidebooks and websites and the data presented in the preceding section of this report. Where relevant and available, use data are presented. This study identified an inadequate (virtually nonexistent) database about recreational use of the Waitaha River. The section is structured by activity, with an introductory summary. 5.1 Summary of use A low level of recreational use occurs within the study area. Users are attracted to the Waitaha River and valley for whitewater kayaking, tramping and hunting (red deer, chamois and thar). One commercial operator (Wilderness Trophy Hunting) uses the Waitaha Valley rarely for guided hunting (once in the past five years and only in the alpine area). No angling occurs above the Morgan Gorge (salmonids are excluded from the upper River by Morgan Gorge). One guiding company occasionally uses tributaries to the Waitaha near the coast (Ellis Creek particularly). Rafting is not known in the study area 17 and the River is rarely jet boated and then only in the lower reaches. 5.2 Kayaking The only water-based activity within the study area is whitewater kayaking. The Waitaha Gorge was successfully paddled (first descent) by a group of women in 1998/ Most kayakers put in as near to the confluence with County Stream as possible (depending on available helicopter landing options on the day, this may be at Moonbeam Hut), portage Morgan Gorge, paddle the last m of the Gorge, and the 1-2 kms of whitewater below Morgan Gorge and then get out, and only occasionally continue to the sea. The Morgan Gorge was first fully kayaked in 2010 and the upper Waitaha River in In February 2013 the Tai Poutini Polytechnic released a press release describing this achievement: Kayakers "knock off their own Mt Cook Five South Island white-water kayakers have knocked off the kayaking equivalent of Mt Cook, completing the first ever descent of the Upper Waitaha River from the heart of the Southern Alps. The Waitaha River, south of Hokitika, is known as one of New Zealand's top class five rivers but until now no-one has kayaked the length of the river from the Southern Alps to sea level. Kayakers Keith Riley and Zak Shaw who are both outdoor education tutors at Greymouth's Tai Poutini Polytechnic, Nelson doctor Justin Venable, Christchurch doctor Paul Currant and Christchurch engineer Will Martin took three days to complete the epic journey. The group used a helicopter to access the top of the Waitaha, starting their kayak from an elevation of 1220 metres near Ivory Lake which is the Waitaha's source. It was most remote rugged wilderness I have ever kayaked, literally you can't go any further into the Alps. We started paddling through alpine tussock with old avalanche debris scarring the hillsides, and then entered the upper gorge which was like a water-worn sculpted gutter through bedrock, says Zak Shaw. 17 One informant in Booth (2008) had thought about rafting the River and believes it would be "challenging but possible. 18 Nikki Kelly (one of the first descent team) was "hazy about timing in Booth (2008). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 44

45 Known in kayaking circles as one of the hardest adventure kayak trips around, the lower part of the Waitaha was first kayaked in However it wasn't paddled further up because at the time it was thought the river was too steep. Two years ago Keith Riley and Paul Currant were part of a group that made the first descent of Morgan Gorge, both of them also taking part in this latest expedition. Most kayakers would see Morgan Gorge as a challenge, but compared with what we paddled above it when we got to Morgan Gorge on day three we felt like we were on the easy street home, says Keith Riley. The Waitaha is one of the great wild rivers and I feel privileged to be one of the very few to paddle it in its entirety as a wild river, he says. One of the most challenging parts of the approximately 28km paddle was the Windhover Gorge where the river drops 200 metres in 1km. Zak Shaw says the group arrived at the gorge after six hours of exhausting work on their second day, and were forced to portage their 30kg boats up through the bush on a steep, rough track. The portage took an additional four hours and forced the team to paddle a kilometre of hard rapids at 8.30pm when light was fading. The terrifying element is the unfinished business. People will go back to Windhover Gorge, perhaps when there is less water, and they have more energy and they will try to kayak the whole thing, he says. It was an amazing paddle, I have come back to work rejuvenated and inspired as an outdoor educator. As tutors we need to keep having these big adventures so we can hand over the skills and values to our students. The Windhover Gorge was paddled for the first time in December 2013 by Justin Venable and Shannon Mast. The nature of the Waitaha kayaking experience is expressed by Charles (2006:193): "The Waitaha is iconic Kiwi adventure boating. Remote, difficult, beautiful and has a little sting in the tail just when you think it is all over. Paddlers enjoy the cruisy middle gorges". Booth (2008) describes the River's international reputation amongst elite paddlers, and the nature of the kayaking opportunity as "expert whitewater adventure kayaking". The Morgan Gorge portage was indicated as a positive characteristic. All parts of "the Waitaha experience" were perceived as an adventure and not just about paddling the rapids. The term "holistic experience" was used in Booth (2008) by several kayakers to describe this style of kayak-based adventure. The West Coast region offers a series of hard paddles which are "classic" adventure whitewater runs including rivers such as the Whitcombe, Upper Hokitika and Arahura. The Arahura River is the 'test' river (to ensure paddlers can handle the West Coast rivers). The Waitaha is perceived as the pinnacle of this set it was reported as representing an ultimate goal (Booth 2008). DOC has issued 11 irregular aircraft landing concessions 19 in the Hokitika area, which includes the Waitaha catchment (Diana Clendon, pers comm. Sept 2013). Four operators have been identified as recently or currently active in delivering kayakers to the Waitaha River. Alpine Adventures would deliver 20 kayakers in an average year to the Waitaha Valley above the Waitaha Gorge, although some years there are no deliveries and the past three years have been extremely quiet; the level of international interest has died away almost completely and clients are now mostly New Zealanders, whereas it used to be a 50/50 division. Pilot James Scott attributes this as potentially due to, partly, the global recession and the Kiwi exchange rate, but the biggest effect may 19 Irregular landings are defined as, "no more than 2 landings per day, and no more than 20 per annum, at a given location. Landings may be authorised for the purposes of transportation of personnel and/or equipment to or from a variety of possible locations within the remote or backcountry-remote zones, or at frontcountry sites. This provides for landings for air charter purposes, but does not include regular landings at specific sites or scenic snow landings. (DOC, 2010, sec ). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 45

46 be greater competition for other kayaking destinations globally taking international interest away from New Zealand. Alpine Adventures delivers kayakers to three main destinations: approximately 70% of deliveries are to the Whataroa River, 20% to the Wanganui and 10% to the Waitaha (James Scott, pers comm. Sept 2013). Bruce Dando of Kokatahi Helicopters has over 20 years association with helicopter services in the Waitaha area. (Dando now operating under a new business association, and over the past year he has leased his machines to other operators). He reports that since 2011, heli-kayaking activity on the West Coast has declined markedly, to the point where the number of early-season enquiries for kayaking access on the West Coast in 2013 had dropped to fewer than 10 from what would have been several hundred in 2010 or Since 2011, he estimates that recreational servicing activity on the Coast has declined by approximately 80%. This he attributes to the global recession. Dando estimates that, in the three-year period up to 2011, he would have delivered approximately 150 kayakers to rivers on the West Coast per season and only four or five loads would have been delivered to the Waitaha River, 90% of whom would have been New Zealanders. He estimates that 150 to 200 people may have kayaked the Waitaha River since 1990 (Bruce Dando, pers comm. Sept 2013). Southern Alps Helicopters piloted by Danny Reedy would normally take 30 to 40 kayakers per year to the Waitaha (15 to 20 drop-offs), almost all to the Moonbeam Hut area above the Waitaha Gorge. Reedy ceased operation in 2013 due to low demand for commercial work. Patrons were approximately 50% New Zealanders and 50% international, although international interest varied from year to year, with the two seasons prior to 2013 quieter than previously. Levels of activity on the Waitaha were lower than on the Arahura, Hokitika, Whitcombe or Wanganui Rivers, but the Waitaha was 'up there' as a popular kayaking destination (Danny Reedy, pers comm. Sept 2013). Precision Helicopters has been operating from mid-2012 and offers kayak deliveries on the Coast, but has only had "five or six" jobs to date, two of which were to the Waitaha. Pilot Patrick Amberger reports that kayak interest on the West Coast has declined sharply in recent years due to the high costs and competition at the international level with other kayaking destinations. Activity is so low that the company has returned its kayak racks to the manufacturer. Tourism servicing is only a very small part of the company's business activity (Patrick Amberger, pers comm. Sept 2013). Hut book entries for Kiwi Flat include a large proportion of Canterbury residents (section 4.10) and the Christchurch earthquakes may have also contributed to a decline in kayaking activity on the West Coast. A decline in international tourism in the South Island concomitant with the earthquakes may also be an influence on reduced activity. The data available suggests the total annual number of kayakers using the Waitaha River would be approximately 50 per year, which matches the estimate in the RiVAS review (Booth 2009 see section 4.4). England (2011) suggests that the majority of kayakers on the Waitaha River are New Zealanders (over 70%, reading off the pie chart on p242). However, England's survey sample is self-selected and may not be representative of actual use. Owing to the advanced skill level required to paddle the Waitaha River, the numbers of kayakers able to paddle it is small, and those able to paddle the Morgan Gorge and upper Waitaha a small subset of that. The busy period is December to mid-february, but the river is kayaked from September until May (Booth 2008). Kayakers across a greater range of skill levels can paddle the whitewater section below Morgan Gorge because the rapids decrease in grade (from 5 to 2) as the River flows downstream. The section below Morgan Gorge receives use from kayakers who walk up from the road end, as well as those Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 46

47 who paddle the Waitaha Gorge and portage Morgan Gorge. Therefore this section will receive greater use than the Waitaha Gorge section. 5.3 Hunting Hunters use the study area in their quest for red deer, chamois and thar. Occasional possum shooting takes place. Overall, the level of hunting use is low. Alpine Adventures delivers hunters to four destinations in the Waitaha Valley. In an average year, approximately two to four parties would be dropped at Kiwi Flat, two or three at Scamper Torrent hut, two to Moonbeam hut and three for four parties to Ivory Lake hut. Each partly would normally stay a week and be heli-lifted out. Almost all would be New Zealanders (James Scott, pers comm. Sept 2013). Southern Alps Helicopters would normally take a dozen hunters per year (six trips) into the Waitaha Valley, with no preference for set-down area, although County Stream was popular. Most clients were New Zealanders. As discussed in section 5.2, this helicopter service ceased operation in 2013 (Danny Reedy, pers comm. Sept 2013). Kokatahi Helicopters (although now operating under a new business arrangement as discussed in section 5.2) estimates a steady 30 hunters almost all New Zealanders using their services in the Waitaha valley annually. Hunters are seeking thar and chamois and most are delivered high in the valley and as far downstream as Moonbeam Hut, although some are picked up lower in the valley (Bruce Dando, pers. comm. Sept 2013). Precision Helicopters dropped two hunters in to Kiwi Flat in the 2012/13 season (Patrick Amberger, pers comm. Sept 2013). Interviewees in Booth (2008) discussed an estimate of 50 hunters per annum operating in the valley and thought that it sounded "about right". Several interviewees suggested that many hunters using the Waitaha are from out-of-region. Wilderness Trophy Hunting has a DOC concession to take clients hunting in the Waitaha catchment, but the business focuses almost all activity south of the Waitaha catchment. Only one trip has been taken into the valley in the five years before Their clients target thar and chamois, and there are few thar in the catchment but chamois are present in the upper valley. The lower valley is better for red deer (Marcus Pinney, pers comm. Sept 2013). Booth (2008) reported that the presence and habits of the animals dictate the activity of hunters thar and chamois being hunted around the tops and red deer largely requiring 'bush hunting'. Deer hunting is concentrated in the roar (approximately April), while thar and chamois hunting mainly takes place during March-June. Hunters often fly in/out to Kiwi Flat Hut (red deer) or the Top Waitaha, County Stream or Scamper Torrent Huts (chamois/thar). Alternatively, hunters may camp and thus avoid the areas surrounding huts which experience greater hunting pressure. Alternative hunting areas are plentiful. Hunters indicated that other catchments, such as the Wanganui, offer better hunting, as there are more animals present and access is easier. The Waitaha is "good for a change" (Booth, 2008). 5.4 Tramping and mountaineering Kiwi Flat hut book entries indicate that tramping is the primary land-based activity in the study area. Some trampers fly into the area, because it is hard country to traverse and this gets them deep into the remote country. Bruce Dando (pers comm. Sept 2013) indicates a steady but small number of Kiwi trampers around a dozen using his helicopter service to access the Waitaha catchment annually. It is likely that a higher proportion of trampers than hunters choose to walk in. Trampers using air access commonly go to Ivory Lake Hut or Top Waitaha Hut. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 47

48 Southern Alps Helicopters was occasionally asked to drop trampers or climbers at Ivory Lake but would refer clients to other providers due to the altitude of the site and the limitations of the helicopter used (Danny Reedy, pers comm. Sept 2013). Alpine Adventures has dropped off only hunters in the area (James Scott, pers comm. Sept 2013). The Waitaha valley contributes to the large-scale tramping network on the West Coast, which DOC describes thus (DOC, 2004:59-60): The southern alps between the Taramakau and Waitaha Rivers is regarded by New Zealanders as the backcountry capital of New Zealand because it is accessible and presents a complete spectrum of opportunities. These range from multi-day valley and trans-alpine tramping in challenging terrain to day tramps and weekend length opportunities along open tops to accessible huts. Of particular note are the numerous opportunities for extended north to south traverses utilizing routes and passes to link existing visitor sites and valleys. Barnes (2012:15) in the NZ Climber magazine describes the setting: The Waitaha is one of several West Coast valleys that provides a wonderful remote experience, has high wilderness values and fantastic old-school backcountry huts such as Samper Torrent (sic) and Moonbeam. While Kiwi Flat is a popular overnight destination, trampers and hunters also do longer trips to the head of the valley, and on to the Smyth Range. Overall the valley has relatively few visitor numbers (maybe only parties per year). Several tramping opportunities are provided within the Waitaha Valley and its catchment area, some of which require basic mountaineering skills Kiwi Flat A key tramping opportunity in the study area is the overnight/weekend tramp into Kiwi Flat (or Moonbeam Hut now the track has been re-cut) and out the same way. These trampers remain within the Waitaha River Valley. It is very likely that Kiwi Flat Hut receives the greatest amount of use of the six huts in the catchment, and figures presented in section 4.10 indicate hut user numbers may represent approximately 210 bednights per annum plus 75 day users. Seventy-percent of entries in the Kiwi Flat hut book were by non-west Coast residents, if those who did not identify their origin are excluded. There has been an increase in annual bednights spent at the hut from 2006 (an average of 42 bednights recorded pre compared with 72 post-2005), but the total number of visitors has not changed to the same degree (averages of 58 and 65 people for the same periods, with the 2012 data solely responsible for the difference) Scamper Torrent The Scamper Torrent track facilitates an overnight/weekend trip via the Waitaha Valley onto the open tops, returning by the same route, or else making a round trip via the Mount Durward - Headlong Spur circuit. Booth (2008) indicates that the study area offers intermediate trampers the opportunity to shift from well-maintained track-based tramping to more rugged (but still track-based) trips. This is epitomised by the Scamper Torrent trip Trans-alpine tramping and mountaineering Multi-day trans-alpine traverses are undertaken in the study area, using the Waitaha Valley for access on/off the open tops and dropping in/out of adjacent valleys, such as the Mikonui (via the Tuke River), Wanganui and Whitcombe. This may include tramping-mountaineering on the passes. Several interviewees in Booth (2008) mentioned Ivory Lake in terms of a 'prize' or simply that it was iconic and Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 48

49 that mountaineers value the 'hard out' remote travel required to reach their climbing destination (Mount Evans and the Whitcombe massif). The study area offers alpine-tramping or tramping-mountaineering opportunity (using an ice axe and crampons to move across ice and snow fields) rather than a technical climbing opportunity. 5.5 Morgan Gorge hot springs The hot springs in Morgan Gorge 20 are often referred to in literature and through consultation as a component of the local kayaking and tramping experience and as a destination in itself. There are no records of use levels, which are likely to be low as a result of its difficult access (ropes are not essential, but they were used for the site visit see photo below), compounded recently by the transfer of track access from the true left of the River, where the pools are located, to the true right. An online reference to access to the springs states (verbatim): 21 The hot pools are on the south side of the gorge, in the gorge itself. From the car, after 2 hours, you will come across a long flat pool where the track goes away from the river. Swim across here boulder hop up the river to the gorge, pick up the track going around the gorge, 10 min later follow the first stream down to the river. The hot water is just up river at river level (a little scrambling required.) Bring a sheet of plastic to stem the cold flow. This site doubles as a put in to paddle the last and best rapid of Morgan gorge. Downstream from here, the rapids quickly diminish in grade from Sacks to make sandbags to form a bathing pool are stored in the forest immediately above the hot springs. The springs are incorrectly referred to in at least two references as being located upriver of the Anson Stream confluence, rather than upstream of Glamour Glen (see Figure 2). Morgan Gorge hot springs indicated 20 The Geopreservation Society site name is the Waitaha River Hot Spring, but the Morgan Gorge title is commonly applied accessed 15 May 2013 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 49

50 Morgan Gorge hot springs issuing from rock face Accessing the hot springs, Morgan Gorge 5.6 Angling Ecologically, the Waitaha River above the Morgan Gorge is valued because salmonids are absent due to the barrier effect of the Gorge (Allen et al 2013). One website states that the upper reaches and headwaters offer angling opportunities, which is incorrect as there are no trout in the river above Morgan Gorge. 22 Below Morgan Gorge, Fish & Game New Zealand assess the fishery as regionally significant, maintaining a small trout population throughout the year and a seasonal run of quinnat salmon during May 2013 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 50

51 the summer. Anglers are mostly locals, but include regional visitors and white baiters fishing from their stands. Virtually all angling for sea run trout, salmon and river trout on the River occurs in the lower reaches and below or around the State Highway bridge. The river above the bridge is barely fished although salmon and trout spawn in such stable tributaries as, for example, Douglas Creek and the various creeks running through farmland on the south side of the lower river (Dean Kelly, Fish & Game West Coast, pers comm, Nov 2013). EOS Ecology indicate that trout numbers in the Douglas Creek reach are very low and fish are generally small (Tom Drinan, EOS Ecology, pers comm, Nov 2013), and would not constitute an angling resource. Several angling guidebooks and websites identify the presence of a trout and salmon fishery on the Waitaha but provide few details (Kent, 2006; Moore, 2002). A popular angling website describes the Waitaha salmon fishery as "variable" with "fish generally few and far between. Usually good sea-run brown trout fishing in the lower river below the SH6." 23 Unwin (2012) indicates that there is a minor salmon run in the River. Two fishing guides have DOC concessions for the Waitaha catchment, although the concessions are general to the conservancy: Crikey Creek Guiding and Lake Rotoroa Lodge. Lake Rotoroa Lodge has no record of fishing the Waitaha River (Bill McDermott, pers comm. Sept 2013). Crikey Creek Guiding uses the Waitaha River area "a bit", but focuses on its tributaries, particularly Ellis Creek and occasionally the Kakapotahi River, both of which join the Waitaha River less than 4 km from its mouth. The abstraction reach, more than 19 km from the coast, is not accessed (Nick King, pers comm. Sept 2013). Millichamp (1997) describes the west Coast salmon fisheries thus: Salmon run into a number of West Coast rivers. Chris Tonkin, manager of the West Coast Fish and Game Council, tells me that there are significant but variable runs into all major rivers between the Grey River in the north and the Arawata River in the South. To put these runs into perspective, a good run into the better West Coast salmon rivers seldom exceeds 1000 fish, varying from year to year according to how far the cool water currents move up the coast during the summer months... the most consistent rivers are the Hall (which drains Lake Moeraki) and the Paringa, both of which had a lake only a few kilometres upstream of the mouth. 5.7 Jet boating The Waitaha River can be navigated by jet boats to just below the Morgan Gorge but this requires 'good flows' (JBNZ 2011:36). The river is graded as Class 2 for "More advanced boating/comfortable after one season" with "logs, shingle and braids likely to be encountered" (JBNZ 2011:26). Other rivers in the area offer higher flows and are therefore more reliable (and less damaging). No club events have been staged on the River by the West Coast Branch of Jet Boating NZ, but there is the potential for them. The run on the River is, however, short and there are plenty of preferable jet boating destinations on the Coast. It would be unlikely for anyone to boat the boulder garden above Douglas Creek. Users of the River would most likely be individuals "trying it out", but it would be unlikely to be visited repeatedly (Colin Holmes, Rivers Officer West Coast Branch JBNZ, pers comm. Sept 2013) accessed 17 May 2013 Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 51

52 6 Significance of setting to recreation This section considers the significance of the recreational values of the Waitaha study area at an international, national, regional or local level. To determine the importance of the resource for recreation, two steps are required. First the values of the resource for recreation must be identified. Second, the significance of these values is assessed. Both parts of this assessment are problematic and cause considerable debate with proposals of this nature. There are no nationally-accepted criteria for identifying the significance of recreational values. The RiVAS method (see section 4.4) is the sole comprehensive attempt which has credibility, but on the West Coast it has only been applied to kayaking. Debate centres as much around the basis of assessments as the outcome statements. For this reason it is critical to be explicit about criteria. This recreation assessment is based upon four values: Use values derived from economic, personal and social benefits attained from the recreational use of a setting. Much of the necessary assessment of this value is beyond the scope of this study requiring detailed economic and social research and analysis. Use value in this study is represented by the numbers, activities and origin of users and is considered in a relative rather than an absolute sense. Resource attributes (environmental, social settings and managerial (services and controls put in place by resource management agencies)). Experiences (sought and attained). Availability of substitute resources (where activities and experiences may be satisfied). Other values may be applied to a recreation setting, such as: Existence value, which relates, in recreation terms, to a non-user's positive feelings about the ability of others to use a resource (for ecological or cultural values it might apply to settings which are not visited). Option value, relating to a non-user's currently unrealised future option of using a setting, or the setting being able to be used by current or future users for activities not currently available or attempted. The latter would have applied to the Morgan Gorge and upper Waitaha Gorge before they were kayaked. Assessments of these last two values is beyond the scope of this study, requiring, for example, contingent valuation studies and un-testable foresight, both of which have methodological weaknesses. These values may also apply equally to all recreation resources and therefore will not necessarily elevate the significance of any one resource above another. In absolute and relative terms, their complete evaluation would add little to this analysis. Sections 6.1 to 6.5 discuss the four key values identified above, and conclude with an evaluation of resource significance by value. 6.1 Recreational use The Waitaha study area currently receives a low level of use for all of the recreational activities undertaken in the catchment, which includes whitewater kayaking, tramping, mountaineering and hunting. Total use of the Waitaha catchment is measured in the hundreds, and to some users this low level of activity is an important appeal of the setting. Recreationists are drawn from a wide area, with international kayakers comprising, according to England (2011), more than 25% of the Waitaha kayaker population. Most trampers and hunters are drawn from outside the region 70% of entries in the Kiwi Flat hut book are by non-west Coast residents, if those who did not identify their origin are excluded. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 52

53 Use estimates include: 50 kayakers (based on helicopter records and RiVAS) paddling the Waitaha Gorge section (and mostly portaging Morgan Gorge) annually. Fewer than 10 individuals might kayak the upper Waitaha Gorge (above County Stream) and/or Morgan Gorge in any one year, although these sections might not be run at all for long periods, and there is a very limited pool of suitably skilled kayakers. Fewer than 50 hunters using the Waitaha Valley area annually. Fewer than 150 trampers and day visitors accessing Kiwi Flat annually. While activities supported by helicopters have declined in recent years, particularly kayaking (see section 5.2), these estimates of use consider an average over the long-term. While activity levels may currently be supressed due to a number of possible factors (such as the Canterbury earthquake, exchange rates and international destination competition), there is no reason to predict that activity levels might not return to those recently experienced. The area provides a mix of activity opportunity values: A highly challenging whitewater adventure kayaking opportunity. A weekend trip for trampers and hunters, especially to Kiwi Flat and Scamper Torrent. Tramping/mountaineering access into the remote hinterland. 6.2 Setting attributes Specific values are attributable to the setting, including the natural environment, the managerial environment (recreation facilities) and activity-specific attributes (such as presence and quality of whitewater rapids). The Waitaha catchment is valued as 'classic' West Coast backcountry. Integral to this is the ability to travel through the valley and access the 'tops'. For most users this requires maintained tracks. Booth (2008) says the significant contribution from Permolat members to facility maintenance indicates the value placed by committed backcountry recreationists upon retaining access to the traditional backcountry huts and natural settings within the study area. Several informants (Booth 2008) noted that Morgan Gorge acts as a natural barrier between the frontcountry and the backcountry. To them the remote territory begins beyond Kiwi Flat and Scamper Torrent. Interviewees in Booth (2008) stressed the beauty of the natural, unmodified landscape. Common descriptors were: awesome, beautiful, dramatic, spectacular, stunning. Many people made reference to 'wilderness', including pristine wilderness, unspoiled wilderness and, simply, 'wild'. The diversity of natural landscape features was raised including the two gorges and Kiwi Flat. Such terms have been commonly used in communications with recreation user groups through more recent consultation on the project. The whitewater attributes of the Waitaha River represent an important kayaking value. The rapids are described as challenging, very committing, of consistently high quality and difficulty. The 'cave rapid' in the Waitaha Gorge was mentioned in several blogs and by some informants as a unique feature of the River. The section below the Morgan Gorge suits a wider range of kayak abilities and is accessible by foot. The river can be kayaked for large parts of the year, given it has consistently good flows (when other rivers may not). Recreationists use and value the opportunity to access the study area by air. 6.3 Experiences The 'remote and challenging' recreation experience was identified as highly valued by interviewees in Booth (2008). They described the experience as "accessible remoteness" with a wild quality but with the provision of traditional backcountry facilities and air access. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 53

54 For kayakers, this style of experience is also relevant. The River provides the additional challenge of a "very committing" and "remote" experience that represents "a big day out". Several kayakers interviewed in Booth (2008), including those who had not paddled the river, described it as "inspirational" and/or "aspirational", and representing a peak adventure whitewater kayaking experience. 6.4 Resource substitutability One dimension of significance is uniqueness. If a readily available substitute site is available, the resource value is lower than for a site for which no substitute is available. The recreation resource provided by the Waitaha study area sits within a region that offers a grouping of similar recreation settings. As at 2010, the DOC West Coast Conservancy managed 140 backcountry huts (down from 151 in 2007), 1069 kms of walkways, tracks and routes, and various frontcountry facilities (DOC, 2010:127). More specifically, the DOC Hokitika Area manages "a comprehensive network of backcountry visitor sites. Almost all the valleys of the backcountry contain tracks huts and bridges" (DOC, 2004:59). DOC's CMS states that "the extensive tracts of remote experience and gazetted wilderness areas set the Conservancy apart from other parts of New Zealand" (DOC, 2010:114). From a kayaking perspective, the presence of a set of wild whitewater rivers on the West Coast provides a concentration of adventure kayaking opportunities and a wide range of choice, particularly at the advanced end of the kayaking opportunity scale. Table 4 (page 31) indicates that at the gross level the Waitaha River is one of 14 grade 5 rivers on the West Coast which rely on, primarily, helicopter access. Charles (2006) identifies 31 grade 4 to 5 runs in the South Island and 15 grade 5+ to 6 runs. The latter are: Anatoki River, Golden Bay. Helicopter access only. Burke River, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Cleddau River, Milford. Vehicle access. Crooked River upper, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Falls Creek, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Requires rain. Hokitika River upper / Mungo. Helicopter access only. Hollyford Monkey Creek. Vehicle access. Requires rain. Kawarau River Nevis Bluff. Vehicle access. Kokotahi River, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Nevis River (from Nevis Crossing to the Kawarau). Requires rain. Vehicle access. Perth River, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Tutoko River, Fiordland. Vehicle access. Requires rain. Waikaia River, Otago. Vehicle access. Requires rain. Waitaha River, West Coast. Helicopter access only. Whitcombe River upper. Helicopter access only. The uniqueness of the Waitaha River Valley was discussed in Booth (2008). Opinions varied and some views may have been strategic given knowledge of the Scheme (Booth 2008). There was a clear difference between hunters and other users. Hunters all expressed that better hunting areas existed elsewhere in the region. The Waitaha was not a first-choice hunting destination (for red deer, Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 54

55 chamois and thar). Individual kayakers, trampers and mountaineers, however, spoke of the specific characteristics that make the Waitaha catchment different from its neighbours. This included ease of access (a relatively short tramp in/out between Kiwi Flat and the road end), the beauty of the valley (influenced by factors such as the presence of permanent snow and ice fields), its landscape diversity (flats and gorges) and the River's whitewater attributes. While the Waitaha Valley is one of many backcountry-remote settings on the West Coast, almost all of which are accessed by river valleys, the Waitaha differs by having relatively difficult access in the lower reaches and poorly formed tracks (or none) in the upper valleys. This means that most experiences in the valley are 'hard won'. 6.5 Significance assessment The significance of recreational values can be described in terms of geographical scale, from local to international significance. As already noted, there are no accepted criteria to define these levels and their threshold. This study is based on the following significance rating system: International significance: The resource attracts recreational visitors from around the globe. It has international recognition or status within a specific recreation community. It offers a form of recreational value that is outstanding and rare. National significance: The resource attracts recreational visitors from around New Zealand. It has national recognition or particular status amongst a specific recreation community. Regional significance: The resource attracts recreational visitors from the West Coast primarily. The recreation opportunity is common nationally and may be common regionally. Locally significant: The resource attracts recreationists primarily from local communities. The recreational opportunity is common regionally or is of low interest. Not significant: The resource is infrequently used for recreation, has no reputation as a favoured destination and has no recreation management input. A difficulty in making these assessments is identifying the contribution that the Waitaha catchment makes to a wider recreation opportunity setting. For both kayakers and land-based users, the Waitaha comprises one part of a 'whole' or region-wide set of destinations. If the Waitaha catchment was absent from this set of opportunities, the West Coast would, for example, retain an international reputation for kayaking opportunities. For trampers and hunters the Waitaha affords a linkage between it and other valley systems within the central West Coast. The number of setting users is not a strong or single determinant of significance. The value of a backcountry-remote setting is often low encounter rates with other recreational visitors, and some settings are specifically managed to maintain this value. However, where access to a setting is unregulated and relatively easy, and where there is a high level of setting substitutability, low user numbers may indicate a common-place recreation resource. The value of this collective opportunity differs for kayakers compared with land-based users. For kayakers, the Waitaha's contribution extends beyond the region. The suite of West Coast rivers is valued internationally and nationally and the high number of challenging represents a peak experience for advanced kayakers. The Waitaha is therefore a component of the West Coast kayaking opportunity which represents the 'best collection' of whitewater rivers in New Zealand Kayaking Significance: Internationally and nationally significant (in association with the other high grade West Coast kayaking rivers) for advanced kayaking in grade 5 and grade 6 settings. The low use of the Waitaha River (assessed as 50 kayak days per annum, section 4.4), and particularly Morgan Gorge (rarely kayaked and by only the most skilled paddlers), is tempered by the extreme difficulty of the Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 55

56 recreational opportunity it provides and its difficult access (helicopter to the get-in, and a difficult portage at Morgan Gorge for most users). Rationale: Small numbers of users (limited by the required skill level) but attracts a cadre of elite international kayakers. The West Coast is a well-known adventure kayaking destination internationally (along with places such as Norway and California). The Hokitika area is recognised as a rafting and whitewater kayaking destination of international significance (DOC, 2004). The Waitaha has features which make it an important component of the West Coast kayaking scene. Of the 24 grade 5 rivers on the West Coast, the Waitaha River has been assessed as the 5 th -equally most kayaked (see Table 5). This significance assessment applies equally to all sections of the River above the bottom of the Morgan Gorge Tramping Significance: Regionally significant in the Kiwi Hut and Flat area but nationally significant in the upper valley, particularly at Ivory Lake. Low use throughout. Rationale: Trampers are drawn to the West Coast/Southern Alps from around New Zealand. The West Coast is valued for its relative low use, traditional backcountry and remote experiences (natural environment and the cultural assets of backcountry huts) and extensive network of long and short tramping opportunities. The significance rating is influenced by the degree of emphasis placed upon the collective value of the whole West Coast/Southern Alps backcountry area (national significance) or the lower Waitaha Valley alone (regional significance) and the origin of trampers as recorded in the Kiwi Flat Hut book. The Ivory Lake hut has a higher (national) level of significance due to its landscape setting and identification as a "classic" tramping destination (Barnett et al 2012). DOC describes the tramping network thus (DOC, 2004:59-60): The southern alps between the Taramakau and Waitaha Rivers is regarded by New Zealanders as the backcountry capital of New Zealand because it is accessible and presents a complete spectrum of opportunities. These range from multi-day valley and trans-alpine tramping in challenging terrain to day tramps and weekend length opportunities along open tops to accessible huts. Of particular note are the numerous opportunities for extended north to south traverses utilizing routes and passes to link existing visitor sites and valleys Hunting Significance: Regionally significant, low use Rationale: Hunters are drawn from around New Zealand, but in small numbers. Animals (the major draw-card) are in more plentiful supply in other places close by. The main focus of the little commercial hunting activity which occurs (guided hunting and helicopter drop-offs) is hunting thar and chamois in the upper valley Hot springs Significance: Regionally significant, low use Rationale: Largely an element of a tramping, hunting or kayaking experience for New Zealanders rather than a destination in itself, and accessed by the same cross-section of users. Some destinationspecific activity has been reported by international visitors and a local accommodation provider. Difficult access and limited space for bathing. Geopreservation Society site (see Boffa Miskell 2013). Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 56

57 6.5.5 Angling Significance: Regionally significant, low use Rationale: The national angler survey indicates low levels of angling activity with high margins of error, but with variation in use reflecting the quality of the salmon run. Activity only in the lower River with a strong focus on salmon and sea run trout. Assessment parallels that of Fish & Game New Zealand (see section 5.6) Jet boating Significance: Locally significant, low use Rationale: Little indication of value or of frequent use. Activity only in the lower river but may include the abstraction reach in high flows. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 57

58 7 Potential Effects of the Scheme This section considers the effects of the Scheme on the recreation values identified in the preceding sections of this report. 7.1 Statutory Planning Provisions The assessment responds to evaluation and resource management issues from a recreation perspective identified in the West Coast Te Tai Poutini Conservation Management Strategy (CMS), the RMA and regional and district plans prepared under the RMA. The CMS defines several issues requiring assessment in the DOC concession application process: DOC CMS (2010) (1) When assessing applications for any activity on or in the bed of a river or lake, consideration should be given to (but not limited to) the following guidelines: a) Adverse effects on freshwater and terrestrial species, habitats and ecosystems, historical and cultural heritage values, public access, recreation opportunities and amenity values should be avoided or otherwise minimised;... e) The natural character within the setting of the activity should be maintained. The Scheme falls largely within the Waitaha Forest, which is held as Stewardship Area and is subject to the Conservation Act 1987, including section 25 which provides that "Every stewardship area shall so be managed that its natural and historic resources are protected." The maintenance and enhancement of amenity values is a Section 7 matter under the RMA. Amenity values are defined in the RMA as, those natural or physical qualities and characteristics of an area that contribute to people s appreciation of its pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, and cultural and recreational attributes. Natural character values of rivers and their margins is a Section 6 matter, and these values are of relevance to recreation values. The West Coast Regional Policy Statement (2000) (WCRPS) identifies the need to protect water resources, rivers and outstanding natural features and landscapes. The WCRPS states (p41): The region s natural beauty and resulting popularity with tourists is, in no small measure, due to the pristine nature of most of its water resources. Water also has high recreational and habitat values so it is important to safeguard or protect future needs for water, protect its life supporting capacity and avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse environmental effects arising from its use. Accordingly, Policy (relating to water quantity) of the WCRPS requires (p42): When making decisions over water levels or river flows, or allocating water, the Regional Council will consider the following matters: b) The existing and reasonably foreseeable future demands on water e) The potential demand for water resources which could have an effect the following: (i) Recreational, amenity and intrinsic ecological values, Chapter 9 of the WCRPS identifies the need to protect outstanding natural features and landscapes and significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna. Policy 9.1 states: In deciding whether a natural feature or landscape is outstanding matters to be considered will include the following: (a) Its use, value or degree of representativeness of/for scenic, amenity, recreational, heritage, intrinsic and scientific purposes; And Policy 9.2 states: Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 58

59 Matters to be considered as a guide for decision making include those that follow, any one of which may determine whether areas of indigenous vegetation and/or habitats of indigenous fauna are significant j) Its use or value on a local, regional or national scale for public access, recreation, amenity and heritage purposes; Those recreation opportunities in the Waitaha Valley described as national and internationally significant in section 6.5 of this report kayaking in the River above the bottom of Morgan Gorge and tramping in the upper valley, particularly around Ivory Lake, would qualify as outstanding for recreation purposes under the WCRPS. The Westland District Plan notes (section 3.10): The Westland landscape is unique to New Zealand and provides an essential platform for the growing tourism industry. Individual elements of this landscape, such as the glaciers, lakes and wildlife also attract significant visitor numbers. Tourism has become an integral part of the viability of a number of small communities in the District. The landscape quality, individual stands of trees and natural features also contribute to the amenities and environmental quality enjoyed by local residents. And requires, as objectives: To ensure development does not impinge on the integrity of landscapes in Westland To maintain and protect the existing scenic and open and diverse character of Westland District, dominated by natural dynamic processes To ensure that land uses, buildings and development have regard to the natural landscapes in which they are located or seek to be located. The effects assessment made here considers both recreation opportunities and values to reflect the assessment considerations required by these plans. A summary with regard to these planning expectations, from a recreation and tourism planning perspective, is given in section Avoiding and Minimising Effects Scheme Location and Weir Design Westpower initially had two options for the Scheme. Option A involved a weir at the bottom of the Waitaha Gorge and Option B involved a weir at the top of Morgan Gorge. I undertook a preliminary assessment of the 'least adverse recreational effect' between the two options. While this process was not a full assessment of effect of each option, it was adequate to identify the preferable choice from a recreation perspective. My recommendation, and that of other specialist assessments, led to the Waitaha Gorge option (Option A) not being pursued. The preliminary analysis is summarised here to record all considerations related to the effects assessment of the Scheme and to show how the Scheme selection process has led to adverse effects being avoided and minimised (Table 6). The activities assessed in Table 5 are based on those identified in the 2008 assessment completed by Lindis Consulting (Booth 2008) and differ from those described in this document. The review in this report (as summarised in Table 6) would not have led to any changes to the conclusions made in Table 6. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 59

60 Table 6: Weir location option review by activity preliminary assessment summary Activity Option A: Waitaha Gorge Option B: Morgan Gorge Kayaking It is likely that all kayakers who use the upper Waitaha River use the Waitaha Gorge. Those using the Morgan Gorge will use it as a 'warm up'. Any modification to the Waitaha Gorge will therefore affect all kayakers using the upper river. Kayakers would be affected by a change in flow regime from the bottom of the Waitaha Gorge to the Scheme outlet below Morgan Gorge. A section of low flow would be experienced between the put-in below the Gorge portage and the Scheme outlet. The Scheme would not be visible from the riverbed below the Waitaha Gorge. Effects, beyond hydrological, would be transitory. Most users of the upper River will portage the Morgan Gorge and so will not be affected by a weir at its top. It is assumed that a diversion structure at Morgan Gorge will allow for kayak passage for skilled kayakers and a recreation flow regime will be developed. Flow regime effects will be contained between the top of the Gorge and the Scheme outlet and would not affect the Kiwi Flat section. The majority of kayakers would therefore be largely unaffected, apart from by the reduced flow between the post-portage get-in and the Scheme outlet. The preferred flows for this lower section have not been identified. Least effect option for kayaking: B: Morgan Gorge Weekend hunting and tramping The Waitaha Gorge option includes infrastructure which will be experienced by users of the Kiwi Flat area and will be potentially visible from all high-level tracks. Canal may create access impediment for hunters accessing western slopes of Kiwi Flat valley. Morgan Gorge impoundment will affect visually impressive section of river and visitors' first impression of the Kiwi Flat area, but avoid any effects beyond this point. Potential to relocate swing bridge to lower in the Gorge where the diversion would not be seen? Least effect option for weekend hunting and tramping: B: Morgan Gorge Longer hunting and tramping expeditions Volunteer track maintenance As for weekend hunting and tramping Least effect option for longer hunting and tramping expeditions: B: Morgan Gorge As for weekend hunting and tramping Least effect option for volunteer track maintenance: B: Morgan Gorge On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing a significant adverse effect with no mitigation possible and 1 representing a neutral effect with the potential for positive outcomes: Option A was scored 4, with major adverse effects on a range of activities, and only minor mitigations possible. The recreation opportunities remain in the setting so a score of 5 was not appropriate. Option B was scored 3, with effects confined to fewer activities (kayaking predominantly), and more limited effects on kayaking (Morgan Gorge and the section of river below the Gorge and above the Scheme outlet), but with some important changes in the recreation setting evident (uncontrolled to controlled). Some mitigations are available. Option B (Morgan Gorge) was the preferred option for recreation. In particular, by choosing Option B, direct effects on kayaking the Waitaha Gorge have been avoided. However, almost all kayakers portaging Morgan Gorge will potentially face a longer portage below the Gorge if flows between the Gorge and Scheme outlet are inadequate. The recreational effects of a canal along Kiwi Flat have also been avoided. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 60

61 An iterative process during the Scheme development phase subsequent to the option selection exercise described above resulted in a reduction in scale of the proposed diversion structure at the top of Morgan Gorge to minimise potential adverse effects on landscape and recreation values. Weir design has not been finalised, but requires the inclusion of features to allow passage over it by kayakers and to reduce hazards (while noting that the setting below the weir has extreme natural white water hazards). A consultative process has been recommended to ensure kayakers have input into the final weir design. 7.3 Recreational effects assessment The scale of effects described in this section use the following definitions. 1) Nil no adverse effects in the recreation setting. 2) A 'low' effect refers to a small change in the recreation setting, but where the original recreational activities can continue and many participants may be unaware of a change in the setting. 3) A 'moderate' effect refers to an activity opportunity where a shift in the recreation setting may modify the characteristics of an activity such as the frequency it may be undertaken, the location of the favoured sites, and some of the activity's qualities but the activity setting retains most or many of its original values and the activity may continue to be pursued and enjoyed. 4) A 'high' effect represents a setting where the opportunity remains, but there are important and unavoidable adverse effects on the scale of opportunity retained or the values which contribute to the quality and availability of the existing experience. 5) A 'significant' effect refers to an activity opportunity or setting characteristic that is removed or severely constrained (to be rarely available), and/or where a basic management categorisation of a setting is altered (such as from a backcountry setting to a frontcountry setting), or where a component of development proposal is incompatible with the management categorisation. There may be positive effects on recreation as a result of the Scheme development, and these are discussed where relevant. Both 'low' and 'significant' effects are generally easily identified. The scale of effect within which a 'moderate' and 'high' assessment can be made is broad, and interpretation of the type and degree of effect is necessary. Where a setting is rarely used for a recreational activity, the scale of effect may be reduced if the level of use occurs in a commonplace recreation setting with few barriers to access. Otherwise, low levels of use may be an important feature in a backcountry-remote or wilderness setting and not an indicator of low recreation value Kayaking the upper Waitaha Gorge, including the Waitaha Gorge and Kiwi Flat reach These kayak options will remain in place. This will enable up to two days of advanced (and extreme in the Windhover Gorge) kayaking from the headwaters of the river before the weir is encountered. The net adverse effect in these two settings is likely to be 'low'. Although there are no direct effects on this upper section of the river, the potential for inadequate flows in the abstraction reach, which includes Morgan Gorge and the section below Morgan Gorge that those portaging it will normally rely on, may influence a loss of uptake of the opportunity. Perceptions of change based on the introduction of a new structure in a setting otherwise only developed for recreation, and the control of a previously free-flowing river, is likely to influence the number of kayakers using the area Kayaking Morgan Gorge The Scheme effects on Morgan Gorge will result from: the installation of a structure across the River at the mouth of Morgan Gorge; a change in the flow regime; and installing a flushing channel outlet approximately halfway down Morgan Gorge and 10 metres above the river bed. The latter would only Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 61

62 operate during flood flows and periods of natural high turbidity and would be inactive during kayaking flows, and would be of low visibility (see Boffa Miskell 2013). The downriver face of the weir, and its interface with the riverbed has not been designed at the time of writing and can incorporate a range of features to enable kayaking access over the weir crest and into Morgan Gorge. A final design option should be developed in consultation with kayaking interests. The net result should be an access setting which enables scouting of the entrance to the gorge, at a scale similar to that which currently exists, and an entry setting which is appropriate to a grade 6 kayaking opportunity and one which is used by a small number of suitably skilled individuals. For a take of 23 m 3 /s, and residual flow of 3.5 m 3 /s, flow effects are represented by a residual flow of 3.5m 3 /s under the Scheme compared with 4.8 m 3 /s naturally and a reduced frequency of high flows above the minimum flow. Tributary inflows below the weir will be insufficient to ameliorate the low flow effects they might very marginally reduce the scale of effects for those portaging Morgan Gorge (see section 7.3.3), but the flow at the top of Morgan Gorge will determine the ability to kayak any of it. While the preferred kayaking flow for the Gorge is unclear, mid-range flows of m 3 /s which currently occur for 40% of the time will be available under the Scheme for 7% of the time on an annual basis and 13% of the time over summer (Dec, Jan, Feb). Flows above 23.3 m 3 /s would be reduced from 40% of the time to 15% on an annual basis, and 23% over summer. This represents a constraint on the kayaking opportunity in the Morgan Gorge, and the Douglas Creek reach for those portaging the Gorge as well as those kayaking it. Ceases to abstraction will enable kayaking of the Morgan Gorge to continue at agreed times, in addition to when the flow through the Gorge is sufficient to kayak. This will represent a change to the current quality of experience which occurs within a predominantly natural backcountry-remote setting with no artificial constraints on participation. Making river flow information publically available would enable kayakers to better judge optimal kayaking periods and take advantage of suitable natural flows which augment the residual flow. However, the net adverse effect of the Scheme on kayaking the Morgan Gorge is likely to be 'high'. When flows are suitable for kayaking in the Gorge (naturally or via a cease to abstraction) there should be no experience of hydro developments until the powerhouse is encountered near Alpha Creek Kayaking between Morgan Gorge and Douglas Creek The river below Morgan Gorge is largely a grade 2 experience through a boulder garden in the upper reaches and a more meandering and braided river below Douglas Creek. This is used as part of a kayaking experience in the upper river (by all kayakers), or as a stand-alone kayak experience accessed by foot from below Morgan Gorge. Consequently, this is the most frequently kayaked section of the Waitaha River. The flow below Morgan Gorge will be augmented by flows from Anson Stream and Glamour Glen. These two waterways boost the residual flow considerably after rain, and for 50% of the time they add a further 0.7 m 3 /s. The residual flow between Glamour Glen and Douglas Creek would be at least 4.2 m 3 /s for 50% of the time. These inputs are unlikely to provide sufficient flow to reduce the scale of effects of the residual or reduced flows caused by the Scheme on kayakers. The 'high' scale of change identified for Morgan Gorge, above, would therefore also apply to the Douglas Creek reach. During low flow periods, the portage of Morgan Gorge (approximately 870 metres of difficult track) would potentially be extended by approximately 1530 metres. Ceases to abstraction and public flow information would enable kayakers to still experience this option. However, the net adverse effect is likely to be 'high' due to the reduced availability of midrange and higher flows. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 62

63 7.3.4 Kayaking the whole river The Waitaha River is one of the most challenging of the West Coast, and New Zealand, rivers. It is an experience for the truly expert kayakers and some of the runs, in particular Morgan Gorge (and the as yet unpaddled Windhover Gorge), provide a peak experience of risk and challenge. For those expert kayakers the River can provide three days of kayaking from the its upper limits to below Morgan Gorge. As stated above, the effect of the Scheme on each individual section of the river ranges from 'low' above Morgan Gorge to 'high' between the top of Morgan Gorge and the Douglas Creek confluence. While the River will remain kayakable for the majority of users who portage Morgan Gorge, there will be unavoidable changes to the setting which will influence the value of the entire River to kayakers: The introduction of control and generation structures on an otherwise free-flowing river, The introduction of permanent (albeit removable) structures in a backcountry-remote landscape setting otherwise developed only for recreation, An additional 1530 metre portage when flows between the top of Morgan Gorge and Alpha Creek are inadequate, A reduced availability of mid-range and higher flows for kayaking in the Morgan Gorge (midrange flows of m 3 /s which currently occur for 40% of the time will be available under the Scheme for 7% of the time on an annual basis and 13% of the time over summer (Dec, Jan, Feb). Flows above 23.3 m 3 /s would be reduced from 40% of the time to 15% on an annual basis, and 23% over summer), A new information regime with, potentially, more live data about flow characteristics, A new requirement to communicate with Westpower if ceases to abstraction are sought by kayakers in the Morgan Gorge and/or the Douglas Creek reach. The scale of change to the availability of mid-range and higher flows represents a net loss in comparison with the potential benefit gained from being able to plan a trip with a timed cease to abstraction. Freshes and floods may still coincide with a planned cease, and a level of unpredictability will always remain. This is a major change from a completely uncontrolled river setting and the net effect on kayaking on the entire River would be 'high' Hunting and tramping Effects on hunting and tramping (including voluntary hut and track maintenance carried out by participants in both activities) primarily result from changes in the backcountry-remote setting characteristics of the Waitaha Valley above Douglas Creek. There has been interest in the provision of improved access during discussions with current users and representatives of recreation groups during the consultation period. Westpower is therefore considering the construction of an alternative access foot track to Kiwi Flat to avoid construction areas. It is proposed that this be of better quality and an improvement on the existing foot track and could potentially be retained as a permanent track which would serve as an all-weather access between Kiwi Flat and Macgregor Creek (Sue Cotton, Westpower Ltd, pers comm.). This could also assist in kayak portages, although it has been stated in consultation that the rugged existing portage can contribute to the kayaking experience. As discussed in the terrestrial ecology report (TACCRA 2014) Westpower will undertake local pest and weed management as part of the ongoing operation and maintenance of the Scheme. However, contributions to enhancing recreational amenities beyond Kiwi Flat as well as ecological initiatives in addition to any proposed mitigation will also be considered as part of ongoing discussions Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 63

64 with DOC and the relevant recreational users and interested parties. Therefore, this assessment assumes that the proposal will result in no change to access levels to the recreation setting and that there are no changes to deer numbers as a result of any potential pest management programmes associated with the Scheme. The Kiwi Flat area and the wider Waitaha catchment above Douglas Creek is a backcountry-remote recreation setting with very high, near pristine levels of natural character (Boffa Miskell, 2013, p2). The installation of hydro development structures will be incompatible with the preferred management setting characteristics as described in the DOC CMS. As discussed in the landscape assessment (Boffa Miskell, 2013, p2-3), the net effect on natural character of the powerhouse and head work structures at the local level are considered to be high, while there are also high effects on visual amenity near to the structures, with the effects lessening with increasing distance. Effects on landscape (the ability of the setting to accommodate change without detrimental effects) is also high in the immediate area of the structures, but low at a more broad scale, with no changes to the landscape values associated with the hot springs in Morgan Gorge, although there would be a moderate level of effect on the perceptual aspects of natural character effects through the abstraction reach. Overall, the Boffa Miskell assessment (2013, p3) found: The mitigation measures proposed, and the iterative design process, has enabled the Scheme to sit well within its landscape and to respond to its setting and to acknowledge the outstanding landscape, natural character and visual amenity values the Upper Waitaha Catchment holds. Overall, it is considered that the Scheme is appropriate despite the fact that at more local levels the natural character, landscape and visual amenity effects are moderate to high. At a broader scale the effects are low. The effects on visual amenity and natural character are limited to quite confined visual catchments and will be, in the main, settings which recreational visitors pass by rather than experience for long periods of time. The structures themselves are relatively small and located within an expansive landscape setting. Hunters who spend several days in the Kiwi Flat area may experience the headworks area for a large part of their visit. Also, the mouth of Morgan Gorge is a significant geological feature of the valley. Developments at this point may leave more than just a transitory impression. Residual flow effects may be experienced by trampers and hunters accessing the valley on foot through the Douglas Creek reach. There are few opportunities to view Morgan Gorge from the track (particularly that on the true right), but the lowered flow will change the visual and aural experience in the abstraction reach, as noted by Boffa Miskell (2013). Users of only the upper catchment such as Ivory Lake accessed from the Sawtooth and Lange Range will have no experience of the Scheme, and these remote experiences may be unaffected (depending on the route taken by visitors). Beyond Kiwi Flat, effects on the recreation setting are perceptual rather than experiential, and will relate to an understanding of a change in an otherwise uncontrolled river setting. The degree of effect on hunting and tramping beyond the Kiwi Flat area will largely depend on the attitudes of the visitor. These may range from experiencing a local, small-scale, reversible and sensitive hydro development, to the significant change to an otherwise pristine river and valley recreation setting. The effect on hunting and tramping considering no loss of opportunity or the ability to experience the Waitaha Valley and assuming that access remains on the true right of the River will be 'high' for the Kiwi Flat area and the access track from Douglas Creek to Kiwi Flat (due to the location of the powerhouse and residual flow regime). The effect will range from 'moderate' to 'nil' for the remainder of the valley, and will depend on: the influence of the structures at Morgan Gorge on the visitor experience; personal attitudes to the Scheme; and whether visitors experience the Kiwi Flat area during their visit to the valley. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 64

65 There may be some trampers who are attracted to the valley to view the Scheme (both the powerhouse and headworks). This may be considered to be an adverse effect by traditional users of the area (as a result of increased visitor numbers), but would also be an addition to the local recreation opportunities. The scale of attraction would depend on the quality of the foot access into Kiwi Flat Hot spring visitors The flow and location of the hot springs will not be affected by the Scheme. Changes in experiencing the hot springs will be limited to a change in the flow characteristics of the River and the accompanying soundscape. This is described by Boffa Miskell (2103, p65) as a moderate level of effect on the perceptual aspect of natural character effects though the abstraction reach, with no effect on landscape values at the springs. Overall the effects on the recreational attributes of the hot springs, as a destination in themselves, will be low. Their essential characteristics will remain, including the hot water, the difficult access and the sculptured, active, river setting Angling Effects on angling are based on residual flow effects between the bottom of Morgan Gorge and the Scheme tailrace. Little angling occurs in this area and the Waitaha River is a low-use angling setting generally, with peaks in use based on the quality of the annual salmon run. The angling options will remain in the most accessible parts of the River near SH6 with the Scheme in place. Allen & Hay (2013) indicate that residual flows will be adequate for salmonid passage although there will be a reduction in the scale of trout habitat in the abstraction reach. Reduced flows between the bottom of Morgan Gorge and the Scheme outlet could improve the anglibility in this reach (with less energetic flows), but frequent freshes and floods will always limit the ability of trout to linger in the Douglas Creek reach and there is unlikely to be any benefit to angling (Tom Drinan, EOS Ecology, pers comm). The effect on angling amenity on the River is likely to be 'nil' Jet boating The River above the proposed tail race is rarely boated. Suitable minimum flows are not clear, but flows above 23.3 m 3 /s would be reduced from 40% of the time to 15% on an annual basis, and 23% over summer. The River is a low value boating resource. The effect of the Scheme on boating is likely to be 'nil' All setting users construction Construction activities, especially at the down-river end of Kiwi Flat, and at the powerhouse, will take three to four years. Construction noise and human activity, especially at the head-works, during this period will be incompatible with the experiences associated with a remote recreation setting at and around the construction sites. The net effect of construction on recreational values will be 'significant' during the construction process. For the remainder of the valley, away from the construction sites, the effects of construction will be similar to those discussed in section in relation to hunting and tramping. In the upper valley beyond Kiwi Flat the effect will be perceptual rather than experiential, and influenced by the importance of the Alpha Creek and Morgan Gorge settings to the total visitor experience and amount of time spent at Kiwi Flat Regional level all users At the regional level, the effect of the Scheme on West Coast recreation and tourism generally will be very slight due to the high number of alternatives available for all activities affected by the Scheme and the relatively low level of use of the Kiwi Flat area. The West Coast will retain its international reputation as a challenging kayaking setting with the Scheme in place, and the Morgan Gorge (and the remainder of the River) will retain its ability to challenge highly skilled kayakers, albeit with additional restrictions on its use due to the need to confer with a management authority (Westpower Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 65

66 Ltd) if a cease to abstraction is required to provide a natural flow. Importantly, the key components of the Scheme (weir, diversion structure and powerhouse) are removable if the generation capacity is no longer required. 7.4 Mitigations The effects of the proposal on the wild and scenic qualities of the Waitaha River are difficult to mitigate, considering the key issue is a change from an uncontrolled and undeveloped state to one with hydro structures and a controlled flow regime. However, there are management options that can be considered to support continued recreational use of the setting. These are, in the main, options to be considered by the recreation community, rather than essential components of the development. Their implementation may benefit some users over others and influence other changes in the setting, such as increasing visitor numbers via improved access. Potential mitigation options include: Design the lower face of the weir to allow kayaking access to Morgan Gorge. This is the only mitigation listed here which is considered essential. Improve access for the kayak portage from the top of Morgan Gorge to Alpha Creek, to address lowered kayak amenity in the abstraction reach (this may be located on either bank of the River, but private land access issues on the true left suggest it will remain on the true right). Improve tramping access to the valley to support recreational use of the area, to address changes in recreation amenity generally. This could include transferring access to the true left of Morgan Gorge (if landowner approval was gained), where it was originally, giving better access to the hot springs and views into the Gorge, and reducing interaction with the Scheme head-works at Kiwi Flat. This would contribute a small mitigation for kayaking amenity, but the net effect on kayaking in and below the Gorge would remain high due to the loss of flow availability. Relocate the swing bridge over the Morgan Gorge at Kiwi Flat to reduce visibility of the weir and diversion structure. Develop a regime of ceases to abstraction to support continued kayaking in Morgan Gorge. Provide online real-time flow data for the Waitaha River at Kiwi Flat to support kayaking in the River. Provide online information on construction activities, including the type, location and duration of works, potential hazards (including in-river hazards), advice on avoiding hazards and construction activities generally, and any effects on the flow regime. Locating the weir at the top of Morgan Gorge (and its design to allow kayaking access) rather than at the bottom of the Waitaha Gorge, and its reduced scale, has been incorporated into the Scheme proposal and avoids some adverse effects on recreation in Kiwi Flat and kayaking above Morgan Gorge (see section 7.2). Mitigations will assist in reducing the amenity effects of the Scheme, but there is nothing that can moderate the introduction of the development into a previously uncontrolled backcountry-remote setting. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 66

67 7.5 Effects and mitigation summary Table 7 summarises the effects assessment for the Scheme as currently proposed. Table 7: Scheme effects and mitigation summary Activity Effect Level of effect Recommended mitigation Residual effect Operation Kayaking the upper Waitaha Gorge, including the Waitaha Gorge and Kiwi Flat reach These kayak options will remain in place. Low no direct effect, but catchment changes may result in reduced uptake None possible but online flow information services will support kayaking amenity. Low Kayaking Morgan Gorge Residual flow reduces ability to kayak abstraction reach. High opportunity remains but is constrained. Controlled ceases to abstraction Online flow information services High Kayaking between Morgan Gorge and Douglas Creek Residual flow reduces ability to kayak abstraction reach. Extension to portage below Morgan Gorge. High opportunity remains but is constrained. Online flow information services Controlled ceases to abstraction High Kayaking whole river Change in natural state High None possible High Tramping and hunting Kiwi Flat Change in remote characteristics of visitor experience ('nature on its own terms') natural character effects based on location of new infrastructure in a backcountry-remote setting. High effect limited to Kiwi Flat area and ranging from moderate to nil in rest of upper valley. Relocate swing bridge over Morgan Gorge to avoid view of weir. Reroute access track to true left of the River. High at Kiwi Flat but may moderate over time as Scheme settles into the landscape. Similar reductions in effect in remainder of valley. Upper Valley Perception of control of River in an otherwise undeveloped valley setting (besides those for recreation). Low to nil depending on access route taken (perceptual only). As for Kiwi Flat above Low to nil Hot spring visitors Soundscape changes to Morgan Gorge experience (hot springs included) natural character effects of residual flow. Low None required Low Angling Aquatic ecology and residual flow effects from residual flow between Morgan Gorge and tailrace. Nil. Minor effect on trout habitat and very little if any effect on the scale of angling opportunity. None required Nil Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 67

68 Table 7: Scheme effects and mitigation summary Activity Effect Level of effect Recommended mitigation Residual effect Jet boating Residual flow effects from residual flow between Morgan Gorge and tailrace Nil. Low use setting. None required but online flow information services may assist boating. Nil or positive Construction All setting users above Macgregor Creek (kayak, tramping, hunting, track maintenance) Construction noise and activity. Service flights. Significant but temporary. Online construction activity advice. General management of construction activities to limit footprint and inriver water quality effects. Avoidance of disruption to public access. Consider track realignment options (subject to landowner approval). Significant but temporary Regional effects summary All activities Changes to recreation opportunities and setting characteristics, as described above, in one river valley on the West Coast. Low. There are numerous alternative backcountry-remote and white water settings. This assessment recognises that the Waitaha Valley has some local characteristics, such as poor access through lower valley, and all white water settings on the Coast have unique characteristics. As above Low Planning framework Identifying the scale of effect of the Scheme on the internationally and nationally significant status of kayaking opportunities on the West Coast should consider how the scale of significance of the Waitaha River derives from the value of the West Coast complex of kayaking opportunities, rather than identifying the Waitaha River as independently significant. However, the change in the quality of the Waitaha River as wild and uncontrolled may remove the status of the River as internationally significant for kayaking in itself. Effects of the Scheme relevant to the RMA (including sections 6 and 7) are on the internationally and nationally significant status of kayaking opportunities on the River, although this scale of significance relates as much to the West Coast complex of kayaking opportunities as it does to the values of any single river. This effect will also impact on the outstanding characteristics of kayaking amenity on the River under the West Coast Regional Policy Statement. The Scheme may sustain nationally significant kayaking values on the River with the retention of current kayaking opportunities above Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 68

69 Morgan Gorge. All other forms of recreation in the Waitaha Valley will retain their regional and local significance. The DOC CMS defines the setting as back-country remote, and a hydro-development is not compatible with this recreation management category. However, the outcomes set out in the CMS for the Hokitika Place will still be achieved with the Scheme in place. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 69

70 8 Conclusion The Waitaha study area receives low use from kayakers, trampers and hunters. Its primary recreational value is its high-quality whitewater and backcountry-remote characteristics. For both values, the Waitaha contributes to a large West Coast backcountry-remote recreation setting. The Scheme has the potential to affect the quality and nature of the recreation experience in the study area by changes to the remote-backcountry characteristics of the Kiwi Flat and Douglas Creek settings (via the installation of hydro diversion structures, access and the powerhouse) and an altered flow regime in the Morgan Gorge and much of the Douglas Creek reaches. Direct restrictions on the ability to carry out existing recreation activities in the study area are limited to kayaking, and include effects on those highly-experienced kayakers seeking the Morgan Gorge, and on all kayakers on the River who portage the Gorge but use the River below it to complete their journey, with the latter potentially facing an additional 1530 metre portage when flows are inadequate. The scale of change in kayaking opportunity is difficult to quantify considering the ability to kayak the River at a variety of flows. However, flows above 11.8 m 3 /s naturally occur for 80% of the time and would, with the Scheme in place, occur only for 22% of the time, and 35% of the time in summer (a change of 292 days per year of flows over 11.8 m 3 /s to 80 days). The frequency of mid-range flows of m 3 /s currently occur for 40% of the time (all year), and this would reduce to 7% of the time with the Scheme in place (146 days per year to 26). This is a shift from the quite common availability of moderate-range flows to relatively infrequent availability. Mitigations are available to reduce the scale of effects on kayaking (ceases to abstraction and improved portage tracks), but the change from a natural state waterway means that the final effect on kayaking on the Waitaha River remains 'high'. However, the net effect on the West Coast kayaking scene is likely to be minor, considering the number of kayaking alternatives, the ability to retain the kayaking opportunity in the Morgan Gorge, and the relative low level of use of the Waitaha River, and far lower level of use of Morgan Gorge (although this is a natural feature of such extreme kayaking settings). The challenge in protecting the regional kayaking resource, with the Morgan Gorge in mind, will be establishing a protocol for ceases to abstraction that is suitably flexible for kayakers, and ensuring that weir design and construction is carried out in consultation with kayakers. The Waitaha River was one of 14 grade 5 runs with helicopter access on the West Coast. Grade 5 and grade 4 runs were identified as the most common kayaking opportunities on the West Coast (24 and 14 runs respectively). There is a high level of choice for high-grade kayaking options on the West Coast, and the Waitaha contributes to a relatively abundant kayaking opportunity setting (and hence its significance at the international level). Effects on most trampers and hunters accessing the Waitaha Valley will largely be transitory and be based on localised changes to what is currently an undeveloped backcountry-remote setting. If there are no changes to access levels in the valley, the tramping and hunting experience will remain 'hard won', but the experience may be diminished by the presence of a functioning hydro-diversion structure. Again, at the regional level, the scale of effect is likely to be lowt, considering the large scale of the backcountry-remote recreation setting on the West Coast and the limited contact trampers and hunters in the valley will have with the hydro structures. Mitigations are also available to reduce interaction with the structures by realigning the access track and the Morgan Gorge swingbridge. The hot springs in the Gorge will remain in place but within, normally, a quieter and less dramatic river-side setting. There are no effects of note on angling or jet boating. Construction activities at Kiwi Flat will have 'high' temporary adverse effects on all users in this part of the valley due to noise and the presence of construction machinery and personnel. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 70

71 Importantly, the relatively small scale of the head-works structure and lack of impoundment at Kiwi Flat, and the scale of the powerhouse means that the key components of the Scheme are removable if the generation capacity is no longer required. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 71

72 9 References Allen, C., Hay, J. (2013). In-stream Habitat Flow Assessment for the Waitaha River: Morgan Gorge to Douglas Creek. Prepared for EOS Ecology on behalf of Electronet Services. Cawthron Report No Barnett, S. Brown, R. Spearpoint, G. (2012) Shelter from the Storm The story of New Zealand's backcountry huts. Craig Potton Publishing, New Zealand. Barnes, P. (2012). Another Westland Hydro Scheme Waitaha. In NZ Climber. Issue 82, Summer 2012/13. p15. NZ Alpine Club, NZ. Booth, K. (2008). Waitaha River Recreation Assessment. Unpublished Lindis Consulting client report for Westpower, Greymouth. Booth K, England A, Rankin D, Unwin M, Charles C, England K, Riley K, Ritchie D (2009) Whitewater kayaking in the West Coast Region: Application of the River Values Assessment System (RiVAS). In Hughey, K.F.D., Baker, M A. (eds). (2010). The River Values Assessment System: Volume 1: Overview of the Method, Guidelines for Use and Application to Recreational Values. LEaP Report No.24A, Lincoln University, New Zealand. Brabyn, S. (2004). Arthur's Pass to Mount Cook: A Tramping Guide. Brabyn Publishing, Christchurch. Charles, G. (2013). New Zealand Whitewater Great Kayaking Runs. (5 th edition) Graham Charles. Charles, G. (2006). New Zealand Whitewater: 125 Great Kayaking Runs. (4 th edition) Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson. Department of Conservation (2004). West Coast Conservancy recreation opportunities review. Submissions analysis and decisions. Department of Conservation Southern Regional Office, Christchurch. Department of Conservation (2010). West Coast Te Tai O Poutini Conservation Management Strategy (2 vols). Department of Conservation West Coast Tai Poutini Conservancy, Hokitika. Department of Conservation (2008). Backcountry huts: Lists and fees: South Island. Brochure. Department of Conservation, Wellington. Egarr, G. (1995). New Zealand's South Rivers: A Guide for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters. Nikau Press, Nelson. Egarr, G.D. and Egarr, J.H. (1981a). New Zealand Recreational River Survey: An Investigation into the Recreational Potential of New Zealand's Inland Waterways. Part 1: Methods and Conclusions. Water and Soil Miscellaneous Publication no. 13. Published for the New Zealand Canoeing Association by the National Water and Soil Conservation Organisation, Wellington. Egarr, G.D. and Egarr, J.H. (1981b). New Zealand Recreational River Survey: An Investigation into the Recreational Potential of New Zealand's Inland Waterways. Part III: Summaries of South Island Rivers. Water and Soil Miscellaneous Publication no. 15. Published for the New Zealand Canoeing Association by the National Water and Soil Conservation Organisation, Wellington. England, A. (2011). An assessment of the whitewater recreational values of West Coast rivers whitewater kayaking. Land Environment and People Research Paper No. 2. Lincoln University. Galloway, S. (2008). New Zealand Recreational River Use Study: Specialization, Motivation and Site Preference. School of Physical Education University of Otago. Groves, N. (2003). South Island Weekend Tramps. Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson. Hicks, M (2013). Sediment investigations relating to a proposed HEP Scheme on the Waitaha River. NIWA client report CHC prepared for Westpower Ltd. Hughey, K.F.D., Baker, M A. (eds). (2010). The River Values Assessment System: Volume 1: Overview of the Method, Guidelines for Use and Application to Recreational Values. LEaP Report No.24A, Lincoln University, New Zealand. Jet Boating New Zealand (JBNZ) (2011). Safety / year book for the subscription year 1 st July 2011 to June JBNZ Inc. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 72

73 Kent, J. (2006). South Island Trout Fishing Guide. Reed Publishing, Auckland. Millichamp, R.(1997).Salmon Fever. A Guide to Salmon Fishing in New Zealand. Shoal Bay Press. Ministry for the Environment. (2004). Water Bodies of National Importance: Potential Water Bodies of National Importance for Recreation Value. Ministry for the Environment, Wellington. Moore, C. (2002). Weekends for Trout Fishing in New Zealand. New Holland, Auckland. Statistics New Zealand (2013). Commercial Accommodation Monitor: August 2013 West Coast. Wellington: Statistics New Zealand. Sport NZ. (2009a). Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Participation Among New Zealand Adults Key Results of the 2007/08 Active New Zealand Survey. Sport NZ, Wellington Sport NZ. (2009b). Sport and Recreation Profile: Canoeing/Kayaking Findings from the 2007/08 Active New Zealand Survey. Sport NZ, Wellington TACCRA Waitaha Hydro Scheme Terrestrial Flora Description and Assessment of Effects Contract report for ElectroNet Ltd prepared by TACCRA Ltd. 52 pp. The Ministry of Tourism (2004). Waters of National Importance for Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism, Wellington. Tourism Resource Consultants (2007). Tourism Development and Enterprise Opportunities on the West Coast associated with Track and Water Resources. Prepared for Development West Coast by Tourism Resource Consultants, Wellington. Unwin, M. (2012). That Other Salmon Fishery, In Fish & Game New Zealand Magazine. August Fish & Game New Zealand, Wellington. Unwin, M.J. (2009). Angler usage of lake and river fisheries managed by Fish & Game New Zealand: results from the 2007/08 National Angling Survey. NIWA Christchurch Unwin, M. and Brown, S. (1998). The Geography of Freshwater Angling in New Zealand: A summary of results from the 1994/96 National Angling Survey. Prepared by NIWA for Fish & Game New Zealand. NIWA Client Report: CHC98/33, Christchurch. Unwin, M. and Image, K. (2003). Angler usage of lake and river fisheries managed by Fish & Game New Zealand: Results from the 2001/02 National Angling Survey. Prepared by NIWA for Fish & Game New Zealand. NIWA Client Report: CHC , Christchurch. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 73

74 Appendix 1: List of interviewees (Booth 2008) KAYAKING AND JET BOATING Hugh Canard Andy England Nikki Kelly Dave Kwant Dave Ritchie Duncan Catanach Tony Ward-Holmes Colin Holmes Mark Jones Kayaker Kayaker Kayaker (first descent of Waitaha River) Kayaker Kayak instructor Conservation Officer (North Island), New Zealand Recreational Canoeing Association (now White Water NZ) Conservation Officer (South Island), New Zealand Recreational Canoeing Association (now White Water NZ) Chairperson, West Coast Branch, Jet Boating New Zealand Member, West Coast Branch, Jet Boating New Zealand FISHING AND HUNTING Chris Tonkin & Dean Kelly Marcus Pinney Murray Hewer Basil Detlaff Fish and Game New Zealand (West Coast) Wilderness Trophy Hunting Hunter Hunter TRAMPING AND MOUNTAINEERING Andrew Buglass Ollie Clifton Nick Groves Chrys Horn Geoff Spearpoint Mark Watson Author of website Co-ordinator of Permolat (online group for remote huts in Westland) Executive Officer, New Zealand Alpine Club Tramper/mountaineer Author of South Island Weekend Tramps Tramper Tramper/mountaineer Editor of Moir's Guide North Tramper/mountaineer Editor of The Climber OTHER Ian Wightwick Ted Brennan Hugh Barr Bruce Dando Technical Support Supervisor (Visitor and Historic Management), Department of Conservation, West Coast Tai Poutini Conservancy Office Programme Manager (Community Relations), Department of Conservation, Hokitika Area Office Secretary of Council of Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ) Kokatahi Helicopters Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 74

75 Appendix 2: Recreation Opportunities Review decisions for the Waitaha River catchment (DOC, 2004: excerpts from p33-47) Visitor facility number Visitor facility name Proposal Proposal explanation Submissions summary Decision Reason for decision County Junction 6 Wire Maintain but not replace Maintain County Junction 6 wire swing bridge until retirement date. Essential in the entire link to the upper Waitaha Valley and County Stream area. Needed for continued access. Important facility for foot access. Maintain Original proposal was to maintain but not replace. County Junction bridge is the only 'critical' bridge in the Waitaha Valley and enables a full traverse of the Waitaha Valley floor to Top Waitaha Hut & beyond. (Kiwi and Moonbeam swing bridges deemed not critical). Without this bridge this would become impossible. Offers a 'wilderness' opportunity in the spectrum of Hokitika backcountry opportunities County Stream Hut Minimal Maintenance 1999 review was "retain" for the useful life of the structure. Minimal Maintenance has the same meaning. The rugged Waitaha terrain makes it vital that these huts be maintained. Part of the accommodation needs. Minimal Maintenance Area vision is for minimal facility provision in the upper Waitaha Valley. Continue original strategic management proposal of Minimal Maintenance. County Stream Hut will be visited on a minimal maintenance regime every two years, and small tasks of maintenance may be undertaken. It has an expected retirement date of post Kiwi Flat Hut Minimal Maintenance 1999 review was "retain" for the useful life of the structure. Minimal Maintenance has the same meaning. Important accommodation in both the greater Waitaha Valley trip and the Scamper Torrent Headlong Spur route. Maintain Hut is required for overnight accommodation within the Lower Waitaha Scamper Torrent Smythe [sic] Range Headlong Spur circuit. Receives usage from Allen Road end as hunting accommodation Moonbeam 6 Wire Remove Remove Moonbeam 6 wire Should be kept until unsafe. Needs to be maintained in order to ensure access. Access in bad conditions to shelter and huts. Remove The bridge is not an essential link in access to the top reaches of the Waitaha Valley or part of any route or track that will be maintained. Continue original strategic intent of removal Moonbeam Hut Minimal Maintenance 1999 review was "retain" for the useful life of the structure. Minimal Maintenance has the same meaning. Real problems with the whole Waitaha being abandoned. Good for links (low alt) into Smyth Wanganui and the Hitchen [sic] range. Hut is essential accommodation within the Waitaha Valley traverse. Maintain / replace smaller size Original proposal was for minimal maintenance, along with Top Waitaha and County hut. However the Moonbeam Hut and the County Junction Swingbridge are deemed 'critical' assets to allow an untracked traverse of this wild valley. Without the bridge in particular and accommodation at Moonbeam this would become very difficult. Maintain accommodation at Moonbeam hut site. Upon hut's retirement the hut is likely to be replaced with something suitable but of smaller size. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 75

76 Visitor facility number Visitor facility name Proposal Proposal explanation Submissions summary Decision Reason for decision Morgan Gorge 6 Wire Maintain but not replace Maintain the Morgan Gorge 6 wire until retirement date. Is essential in the usage of the Waitaha valley school outdoor pursuits use it. Leads to important recreational hunting areas. Maintain (but not replace) This bridge is not an essential link in access to the top reaches of the Waitaha Valley. Untracked access to Hitchen [sic] Range is available from County Junction swingbridge or Mt Allen. The Area vision is for minimal facility provision in the upper Waitaha Valley. Continue original strategic management proposal of Maintain (but not replace) Scamper Torrent Hut Minimal Maintenance 1999 review was "retain" for the useful life of the structure. Minimal Maintenance has the same meaning. Essential accommodation in the Waitaha Scamper Torrent Headlong Spur route. Classic backcountry hut. Maintain Maintain Scamper Torrent Hut as an accommodation asset in the Scamper Torrent Smythe [sic] Headlong Waitaha circuit. May require toilet with any higher use Top Waitaha Hut Minimal Maintenance 1999 review was "retain" for the useful life of the structure. Minimal Maintenance has the same meaning. Maintain in the long term for recreational hunting. Essential in the upper valley as accommodation. Minimal Maintenance Area vision is for minimal facility provision in the upper Waitaha Valley. Top Waitaha Hut will be visited on a Minimal Maintenance regime every two years, and small tasks of maintenance may be undertaken. It has an expected retirement date of post None Headlong Spur Route N/A N/A Enables a round circuit back of [sic from] the Scamper Torrent / Smyth Range into the Lower Waitaha. Classic weekend trip. Reinstate and Maintain Marked route will give egress off the Smyth Range (in the Waitaha-Scamper Torrent-Smyth Range-Headlong S pur circuit). Re-instate and maintain as a marked route from open tops bush edge to Kiwi Flat. None Lower Waitaha/ Kiwi Flat Route N/A N/A Enables access into Kiwi Flat and onto both the a [sic] round circuit via Scamper Torrent onto the Smyth Range and back via Headlong Spur into the Lower Waitaha. Classic weekend trip. Reinstate and Maintain Re-instate and maintain a marked route from the Allen Road end to the Kiwi Flat. Used in conjunction with the Scamper Torrent Smyth Range Headlong Spur circuit. Will also get hunting use from Allen Road end. None Scamper Torrent Access Route N/A N/A Enables a round circuit via Scamper Torrent onto the Smyth Range and back via Headlong Spur and into the Lower Waitaha. Classic weekend trip. Reinstate and Maintain Re-instate and maintain a marked route from the Waitaha Valley up and over into the Scamper Torrent and Hut. Will then provide [access] to the open tops of the Smyth Range, where an untracked linkage can be made with the Headlong Spur egress. Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 76

77 Appendix 3: River Report Form: Waitaha from England (2011) Westpower Waitaha Hydro Investigations Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects Consultation draft only 77

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