Have been, but I'm doing my clarion best. There's been a lack of broad vision in the past, a focus on engineering rather than understanding the nature of systems, plus a protection of farming activities that has resulted in this sort of thing, in my opinion. Some of my peers will be upset that I've been outspoken, but those who voted me in won't be.
That's not an estuary, it's a secondary treatment facility. If it isn't working properly then the regional council needs to invest some money into upgrading it. A few tonnes of concrete, steel and a chemical dosing plant should do. Since the rural folk are happy with it and it's only the townies that are complaining, the townies can pay for it. Put their rates up!
and that is the bigger problem RG - if even you still think that bungs are the answer because it is not effluent that is the problem for the estuaries (and the sustainability of farming) it is soil loss - MUD!
It is winter grazing that is the problem and the big purges of sludge that leave the farms in floods - meanwhile the regional council is obsessing about effluent spreaders and effluent storage.
Darkhorse - how disingenuous of you :-) No, I don't believe cow shit is what's clogging the estuary and yes, soil loss through the mechanisms you describe, and others, is the major contributor. The engineering of the rivers; flood-banking and other mechanical reformations play a very big part also, and are historical and largely un-fixable under present thinking. Cr Rodway's 'let's regard rivers differently' plea is the way forward but fell on largely deaf ears when he made it. The loss of wetlands throughout Southland and the installation of drains/tiles across the region signaled the death of the estuaries long ago. How foolish we are! How simple it would have been to live successfully here, had we a different approach. Some of the more enlightened 'primary producers' know how to do it - but they get little audience from the mainstream industry. Say la vee.
If only we had some kind of a principle that said "you can use the water as you wish, within reason, as long as you pass it downstream to your neighbour in as good a condition as you received it. Or in better condition." We could call it something like "riparian rights". Once that was done, all we would need is someone to enforce adherence to the principle.
9 comments:
thought regional councils were meant to be protecting these places?''
You guys asleep on the job?
Have been, but I'm doing my clarion best. There's been a lack of broad vision in the past, a focus on engineering rather than understanding the nature of systems, plus a protection of farming activities that has resulted in this sort of thing, in my opinion. Some of my peers will be upset that I've been outspoken, but those who voted me in won't be.
That's not an estuary, it's a secondary treatment facility. If it isn't working properly then the regional council needs to invest some money into upgrading it. A few tonnes of concrete, steel and a chemical dosing plant should do. Since the rural folk are happy with it and it's only the townies that are complaining, the townies can pay for it. Put their rates up!
What a sensible man! Why didn't I think of that? Engineering, it's the answer to everything!
Indeed. Though my experience to date has shown that the most effective solution is usually to stop the pollutant at the source.
Bungs? (two per cow)
and that is the bigger problem RG - if even you still think that bungs are the answer because it is not effluent that is the problem for the estuaries (and the sustainability of farming) it is soil loss - MUD!
It is winter grazing that is the problem and the big purges of sludge that leave the farms in floods - meanwhile the regional council is obsessing about effluent spreaders and effluent storage.
Darkhorse - how disingenuous of you :-)
No, I don't believe cow shit is what's clogging the estuary and yes, soil loss through the mechanisms you describe, and others, is the major contributor. The engineering of the rivers; flood-banking and other mechanical reformations play a very big part also, and are historical and largely un-fixable under present thinking. Cr Rodway's 'let's regard rivers differently' plea is the way forward but fell on largely deaf ears when he made it. The loss of wetlands throughout Southland and the installation of drains/tiles across the region signaled the death of the estuaries long ago. How foolish we are! How simple it would have been to live successfully here, had we a different approach. Some of the more enlightened 'primary producers' know how to do it - but they get little audience from the mainstream industry. Say la vee.
If only we had some kind of a principle that said "you can use the water as you wish, within reason, as long as you pass it downstream to your neighbour in as good a condition as you received it. Or in better condition." We could call it something like "riparian rights".
Once that was done, all we would need is someone to enforce adherence to the principle.
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