Fish Creek, which feeds directly into Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve, is being severely polluted by dairy farm runoff from two Fonterra dairy farms, even in light rain events, several times a month, even in light rain events, with E.coli >12,000/100mL at the point where Fish Creek flows into the Springs Reserve.
The polluted water then heads straight into Fish Creek Springs. When brought to Tasman District Council’s attention, these high E.coli levels were determined by TDC on further analysis to be ruminants, such as cattle. Because Tasman District Council did not set up a water sampling programme to track this severe pollution, we are grateful that the nonprofit organisation Friends of Golden Bay (Inc) voluntarily stepped up to do the job.
We have been informed that Friends of Golden Bay is undertaking regular water sampling for E.coli from two locations of Fish Creek in Te Waikoropupu Valley. Here is a map of the sampling locations. Because it is vital that Fish Creek and Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve are protected from this ongoing pollution, we will be taking photographs and videos of some of the many point sources of pollution of Fish Creek and posting them by date, below. Please refer to the website of Friends of Golden Bay for more details of the results of their water sampling programme.
Fish Creek is a rare and fragile freshwater stream habitat containing threatened native fish and decapod species. Fish Creek was assessed in May 2013 as being of “high ecological value” due to its being the habitat for five species of fish (Redfin bully, Upland bully, Brown trout, Longfin eel, and Giant Kokopu) and also koura (freshwater crayfish) and Paratya (freshwater shrimp). Giant Kokopu is considered “rare” in Tasman District, according to Dr Trevor James of Tasman District Council.
This ongoing severe pollution to freshwater by Fonterra dairy farms in the catchment of Te Waikoropupu Springs is just one of the many reasons why the public should strongly support the current application for a Water Conservation Order for the Springs, because it’s obvious that Tasman District Council is not doing its job to protect this national taonga.
Here is the Letter to the Editor of the GB (Golden Bay) Weekly (about this E.coli contamination to Fish Creek Springs) that was censored — the (then) owner of the rag refused to publish it.
Dairy leadership has a lot to answer for regarding freshwater pollution
Rachel Stewart: Time to Get Tough on Polluters
3 November 2017 — the worst E.coli contamination yet recorded in the last year
Results of the water sampling for 3 November 2017. Here is the relevant daily rainfall graph for the area.
Upper Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd = E.coli >24,000 MPN/100mL
Lower Fish Creek at Springs Reserve = E.coli >24,000 MPN/100mL
More than 550 MPN/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming. This greater than 24,000 MPN/100ml is more than 3,400% of the safe level of E.coli. With these kinds of numbers, signs should be placed downstream of Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve to warn the public of this health risk, as the stream bed can be loaded with significant stores of disease-causing bacteria and potentially affect swimmers and sports fishermen downstream for months after the rainfall event.
One of the two Fonterra dairy farmers responsible for this severe bacterial contamination has put up some fencing in the immediate vicinity of the Springs Reserve, but obviously with these shockingly high E.coli measurements occurring after the fence installation, it’s apparent that when you have too many cows per hectare, fencing won’t stop the amount of pee and poo that is flowing down gradient from these dairy farms to the Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve. The other Fonterra dairy farmer actually shouted in public, “There’s nothing you can do about dairy runoff!”
Why, yes, Mr Fonterra dairy farmer, there *is* something you can do about this dangerously high E.coli contamination spewing from your farm and slamming into the Fish Creek Springs in the Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve. TDC’s Resource Scientist Dr Trevor James reported on 9 November 2017 that his suggested mitigation measures were “neither expensive, nor inconvenient” for these two Fonterra farmers in the Fish Creek catchment. But the one farmer was resisting, even after TDC sought assistance from Fonterra. What’s the use of having a Resource Management Act, if Councils will not enforce it? What’s the use of Fonterra’s Farmer’s Handbook, if Fonterra will not enforce compliance with its standards and requirements? As the Fonterra Handbook states, farmers are “required to take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise harm to the environment”.
It just so happens that the environment being regularly contaminated is part of a national treasure. If Council can’t convince Fonterra dairy farmers to take even minimal steps (that are neither expensive, nor inconvenient) to stop polluting one of the springs of Te Waikoropupu Springs complex, then why is Tasman District Council pushing for even more of our community’s water to be handed over for free to Takaka Valley dairy farmers via the Takaka Freshwater & Land Advisory Group?
28 August 2017
Results of the water sampling for 28 August 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area.
Upper Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd = E.coli 192 MPN/100mL
Lower Fish Creek at Springs Reserve = E.coli 6,700 MPN/100mL
More than 550 MPN/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming. This 6,700 measurement is more than 1200% of the safe level of E.coli.
As you can see, the E.coli pollution was severe where Fish Creek flows to Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve and straight into Fish Creek Springs, as compared to the E.coli result for the upper Fish Creek sampling site (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd). That is most likely because upper Fish Creek receives limited dairy runoff from one dairy farm to the east, whereas Fish Creek as it enters Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve is subject to substantially more dairy runoff from two dairy farms (to the east and to the south of the Reserve).
These shocking levels of contamination have been occurring frequently for months, yet Tasman District Council won’t inform the public of what is being done to stop this ongoing, severe pollution of a national treasure, despite our requests for information.
To Carl Cheeseman, long-term Manager of Compliance at Tasman District Council — what are you doing to stop this ongoing severe E.coli contamination of Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve?
To Dennis Bush-King, the long-term Manager of Tasman District Council’s Environment & Planning Department — what are you doing to stop this?
To our Minister for the Environment Nick Smith — what are you doing to stop this severe E.coli contamination to Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve?
17 July 2017
Results of the water sampling for 17 July 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area.
Upper Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd = E.coli 410 MPN/100mL
Lower Fish Creek at Springs Reserve = E.coli 1,100 MPN/100 mL
More than 550/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming. This 1,100 measurement is 200% of the safe level of E.coli.
27 May 2017
Results of the water sampling for 27 May 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area. It was a light rain event.
Fish Creek at Springs Reserve = E.coli 9,500 MPN/100 mL
The recommended safe level for drinking is less than 1 count per 100 mL. More than 550/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming. This 9,500 measurement is more than 1700% of the safe level of E.coli. These astounding levels of contamination have been occurring with almost every rainfall event for months, yet Tasman District Council won’t even inform the public of what is being doing to stop this ongoing, severe pollution of a national treasure, despite our requests for information.
To Dennis Bush-King, the long-term Manager of Tasman District Council’s Environment & Planning Department — what are you doing to stop this?
17 May 2017
Results of the water sampling for 17 May 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area.
Location No. 1 (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd) = E.coli 640 MPN/100 mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli 7,000 MPN/100 mL
The Springs Reserve E.coli number is again shocking and is happening frequently, even with light rainfall. The recommended safe level for drinking is less than 1 count per 100 mL. More than 550/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming, and such high levels put our threatened native fish in Fish Creek at serious risk, and also severely endanger the biodiversity in Fish Creek Springs, which is part of Te Waikoropupu Springs complex.
To Dennis Bush-King, the long-term Manager of Tasman District Council’s Environment & Planning Department — what are you doing to stop this?
10 May 2017
Results of the water sampling for 10 May 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area. As you can see, this was another “light” rainfall event. Tasman District Council, through its spokesperson Chris Choat, claims that this dairy runoff is “caused by heavy rainfall”. WRONG. Take a look at the rainfall charts for the dates of each of these really horrible E.coli numbers. This severe E.coli pollution is occurring regularly with even light rain.
Location No. 1 (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd) = E.coli 200 MPN/100 mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli 12,000 MPN/100 mL
As you can see, the E.coli pollution was severe where Fish Creek flows to Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve and straight into Fish Creek Springs, as compared to the E.coli result for the upper Fish Creek sampling site. That is most likely because upper Fish Creek receives polluted dairy runoff from one dairy farm to the east, whereas Fish Creek as it enters Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve is subject to dairy runoff from two dairy farms (to the east and to the south of the Reserve).
To Carl Cheeseman, long-term Manager of Compliance at Tasman District Council — what are you doing to stop this ongoing severe E.coli contamination of Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve?
To Dennis Bush-King, the long-term Manager of Tasman District Council’s Environment & Planning Department — what are you doing to stop this?
To our Minister for the Environment Nick Smith — what are you doing to stop this?
28 April 2017
Results of the water sampling for 28 April 2017. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area. As you can see, this was another “light” rainfall event. Two samples were taken at the Springs Reserve, one hour apart:
Location No. 1 (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd) = E.coli 2,700 MPN/100 mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli 14,000 MPN/100 mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli >20,000 MPN/100 mL
On 6 April, Dr Mead had requested more detail from the laboratory when E.coli results were >2,000 MPN/100mL, so this is why we are now seeing these very high results. This is gross faecal pollution of Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve by dairy farmers.
16 April 2017
12 and 13 April 2017
There was a big rain event on 12 and 13 April. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area. Because roads were temporarily flooded, water samples were not able to be delivered to Nelson for E.coli testing.
6 April 2017
On Thursday morning, 6 April 2017, we obtained photos and videos of severely polluted water flowing out from one of the several point source pollution pipes directing water from a dairy farm toward Fish Creek. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area. As you can see, this was a “light” rainfall event.
Results of water sampling:
Location No. 1 (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd) = E.coli 945 MPN/100 mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli 12,000 MPN/100 mL
The Springs Reserve E.coli number is shocking. The recommended safe level for drinking is less than 1 count per 100 mL. More than 550/100mL is considered “high risk” of getting sick from swimming, and such high levels put our threatened native fish in Fish Creek at serious risk, and also severely endanger the biodiversity in Fish Creek Springs, which is part of Te Waikoropupu Springs complex.
It’s way too late now and nursing many of these poor water bodies back to health is unlikely. Application of fertilisers, abstraction of water from our rivers to irrigate pastures, and even the importation of huge tonnages of palm kernel as supplementary feed, all facilitate a one-way movement of nutrients from the land into our waterways.
26 March 2017
On Sunday morning, 26 March 2017, we obtained photos and video of severely polluted water flowing out from one of the several point source pollution pipes directing water from a dairy farm toward Fish Creek. Here are the relevant hourly and daily rainfall graphs for the area.
Results of water sampling, with MPN meaning Most Probable Number:
Location No. 1 (Fish Creek at Pupu Springs Rd) = E.coli 885 MPN/100mL
Location No. 2 (Fish Creek at Springs Reserve) = E.coli >2000/100mL
Additional Articles:
Professor Paul Williams’s Comments re Takaka FLAG “Summary of Interim Decisions”
Hydrogeologist Andrea Broughton’s Comments re Takaka FLAG “Summary of Interim Decisions”
Andrew Yuill’s Feedback to Takaka FLAG’s Interim Decisions Report