WWNZ has worked hard to secure protections for paddlers on the Waitaha River ahead of a forthcoming Fast-track resource consent application for a dam at the entrance of Morgan Gorge by Westpower.
After months of negotiations, WWNZ has reached the final stages of an agreement with Westpower that secures recreational protections on the Waitaha River if the project acquires consent through the Fast-Track Approvals Act.
In exchange for WWNZ taking a neutral stance on Westpower’s Fast-Track proposal, this agreement ensures:
The call to pursue this agreement is an incredibly difficult decision. WWNZ successfully opposed this same project from 2015 up until it was halted in 2019 – a fact we’re proud of. But the political and legal landscape has changed dramatically:
What hasn’t changed is our mission: to protect and enhance recreational access to Aotearoa’s whitewater rivers. In 2025, this compensation agreement gives us something that opposition alone cannot: enforceable obligations that benefit paddlers.
An important clarification is that this is compensation for recreational impact, not a partnership with Westpower. By signing this agreement, we are not supporting their project – we remain neutral. This agreement extracts costly concessions from them with legal accountability.
This strategy is consistent with WWNZ’s established approach with other hydro operators (Genesis, Manawa, Contact, KCE), where we have negotiated recreational compensation when projects proceed.
This agreement was approved in principle after extensive deliberation by the WWNZ board. However, the final terms of the agreement were only presented to us in the last week, and Westpower is aiming to submit in the coming week, creating time pressure to make this critical decision.
We are seeking community input over the next few days before finalising our decision. The urgency stems from the risk that delaying could result in losing these negotiated protections entirely as the Fast-Track process moves forward. We initially explained the details of this agreement and addressed questions and concerns from community members who could attend during a webinar on Wednesday, 28 May, at 8 PM.
Q: “Why neutrality when WWNZ successfully opposed this in 2019?”
A: In 2019, Minister Parker declined the project specifically noting impacts on recreational kayaking. Today’s context is fundamentally different:
We’re adapting our tactics to protect paddlers in a system where being completely ignored is a real risk.
Q: “Couldn’t you fight this through the courts like before?”
A: The Fast-Track Approvals Act was specifically designed to limit legal challenges:
Legal experts describe projects at this stage as extremely difficult to stop through the courts.
Q: “Isn’t this ‘selling out’ or damaging WWNZ’s reputation?”
A: We understand this concern. This is compensation for recreational impact – the same approach we’ve used successfully with other hydro operators for years. We’re not endorsing the project, we’re ensuring paddlers get something concrete if it proceeds rather than nothing at all. We’re demonstrating that recreational interests can extract meaningful protections even when we can’t stop projects entirely.
Q: “Won’t this weaken opposition to future schemes?”
A: We believe this agreement sets a precedent that recreational interests cannot be ignored. Future developers now know they’ll have to negotiate meaningful protections with paddlers. This could strengthen our position on future projects, not weaken it.
Q: “What about the pristine wilderness value of the Waitaha?”
A: We understand the Waitaha’s reputation has grown as an untouched, iconic multi-day source-to-sea journey. However, the affected section sees little regular paddling activity. The guaranteed, scheduled, no-take days may increase recreational activity by providing organised opportunities for paddlers to experience this section. WWNZ will continue to strive to preserve wild, free-flowing rivers for recreational experiences. However, in instances where this is unlikely to be achieved, such as this case, we want to ensure recreational opportunities are protected, not eliminated.
Q: “Will there be vehicle access to the Morgan Gorge by the Westpower access road?”
A: We are not able to secure this guarantee in the direct terms of the agreement with Westpower. From the interpretation of technical documents, Westpower will construct an access road to the Powerhouse (where water is returned to the Waitaha river), with a further service tunnel capable of heavy machinery access to the intake. As this road will be over private land, Westpower will not guarantee access in the terms, however, our close friends at FMC are currently working with local community members to try to gain an understanding of the current complex access situation and establish contact with landowners in the case of this project’s approval and development. Moreover, in signing this agreement, Westpower has indicated that it will make a good-faith effort to bring us to the table for access negotiations. This could be a critical step that leads to robust year-round vehicle access.
Q: “Why not wait and hope the Fast-Track Act gets overturned by a future government?”
A: We think this is a risky strategy that gambles with paddlers’ interests. Westpower is ready to engage the Fast-Track process now – they have their consent application prepared and support secured. Even if a future government modified the Act, there’s no guarantee it would affect projects already in the system. Waiting and hoping for political change while Westpower proceeds with their application could leave us with nothing. We’d be gambling away concrete, legally binding protections on the chance of future political outcomes that may not eventuate or may not help this specific project.
Q: “What will the financial compensation go towards?”
A: If the agreement is activated, the funds will support WWNZ’s core mission. A portion will be set aside to strengthen our legal and advocacy capacity for future river protection efforts. We also plan to invest significantly in improving recreational paddling opportunities on the West Coast, such as enhancing river access or supporting local initiatives that benefit the community most affected by the dam.
Q: “What if your members disagree with this approach?”
A: Our volunteer board represents our members, and the decision to consider this proposal was made with careful consideration of the facts. We believe that in this case, extracting concrete protections serves paddlers better than symbolic opposition. We understand that not everyone will agree, and we welcome respectful discussion. Members who have questions, concerns, or alternative views are encouraged to contact us directly or share feedback through our channels. We’ve always believed that strong advocacy includes listening, and we remain committed to paddling values first and foremost.
We will collect community feedback over the next few days before making our final decision. Please share your thoughts via email to communications@whitewater.nz or get in touch for a call with a member of the board.
Your voice matters in this decision.
Learn more:
Consideration of this agreement reflects our commitment to being both principled and strategic in protecting recreational access. We invite continued discussion as we navigate these challenges to recreational paddling opportunities together.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Fast Track Waitaha Dam Update
You’ve likely heard of the proposal to dam the Kaituna River by now, but if not, this update provides a clear overview of the background, current status, and potential impacts of the project.
Taheke 8C, a Maori landowner group, is pushing for a dam below the trout pools that will drown Pari Whakahihi/Awesome Gorge (including the upper slalom training grounds), and dry Pari Tukino/Gnarly Gorge, before returning a highly variable flow back to Pari Kohukohu/Smokey Gorge. These sections are of immense recreational importance to both the local and international paddling communities. Their loss to this small-scale hydro scheme would be a devastating blow to the kayaking community.
Millie Chamberlain entering one of the rapids in Pari Kohukohu/Smokey Gorge – Photograph courtesy of Michel Uhl
May 27, 2024 🚫 Taheke 8C initially privately submitted for Fast-track Approvals consideration without consulting key stakeholder groups and was initially denied inclusion.
November 15, 2024 📢 Taheke 8C proposes the project to Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority, and even at this stage, had still not managed to consult with any of the 5 River Iwi or other key stakeholder groups such as whitewater river users. In this meeting, they claimed they would consult with affected stakeholder groups like river iwi and river users. They have widely failed to follow through on this commitment.
December 18, 2024 🔍 Whitewater NZ shares information about the Taheke 8C dam proposal – this marks the first time many other stakeholder groups who value the river hear about this proposal.
December 23, 2024 ⚖️ Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 is passed by Parliament, confirming a new pathway for developments like this one.
February 7, 2025 📋 New submissions under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 can begin, including previously declined “unlisted” projects such as Taheke 8C’s proposal.
March 14, 2025 💪 Tapuika Iwi Authority presents unanimous opposition from all 5 river iwi to the scheme at the Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority meeting. This opposition is driven by a lack of respectful engagement and recognition from the consultants and concerns about cultural impacts, such as the negative effect of the dam on the Mauri of the Kaituna River (further insights here). Additional iwi and hapu groups with connections to the Kaituna/Ōkere awa have also illustrated opposition to the proposal.
April 17, 2025 ⚠️ Taheke 8C applies for the project to be reconsidered for referral under the Fast-Track Approvals Act. Again, they fail to meet their commitment to respectful, inclusive engagement, after a thinly veiled attempt at public engagement via a stakeholder meeting only two days prior on April 15, 2025!
May-June 2025 (estimated) 🔎 Fast track referral application review – a 100 working day process in which the MFE will review the referral application
July 2025 (estimated) 📝 Minister decision on referral – The Minister for Infrastructure (Chris Bishop) will take the MFE review of the referral application and decide if it moves forward via Fast Track.
October 2025-February 2026 (estimated) 🏗️ Fast track resource consent application process – if the referral application is successful, it is a 120 working day process, and the project becomes significantly harder to stop at this stage.
→ Whitewater NZ is working extremely hard to challenge the Fast Track referral application before it reaches the resource consent stage!
The lower gorges of the Kaituna/Ōkere River are a world-class whitewater kayaking destination and provide essential recreational opportunities for the local community and visitors alike. It is one of the best training grounds for slalom paddlers as well, and one of the few sections of class III, IV, and V whitewater paddling that is not subject to dam releases by resource consent agreements in the North Island.
Despite promises, Taheke 8C has failed to properly consult with key stakeholders, including kayakers, river iwi, and downstream landowners. This ranges from an inability to answer simple questions, provide transparency in their plans, and general poor faith engagement. This consistently unacceptable behaviour gives little faith that they respect the shared value of the Kaituna/Ōkere awa ecosystem, or that they will provide sufficient mitigation if not challenged in the consent process.
The proposed hydro scheme threatens the ecological integrity of the river system and the diverse wildlife that depends on it. Tuna (eels) and Kōura (crayfish) have used the Kaituna/Ōkere Awa as a traditional migratory route for thousands of years. A proposed residual flow below that of the required ecological minimum set by the Regional plan threatens the health of the awa. In addition, slowing the nutrient-rich waters of Lake Rotoiti can lead to increased algal bloom and periphyton (weed) growth above the dam.
Baby tuna (eels) migrating up the Kaituna river in Pari Kohukohu/Smokey Gorge – Photograph courtesy of Michel Uhl
The Kaituna/Ōkere Awa holds immense cultural importance for local iwi who have unanimously opposed this development. A summary of some of these important cultural considerations can be found in the Tapuika statement of position on the dam proposal.
We believe the economic impact of the dam is vastly overstated. The numbers provided make it clear this is a micro hydro scheme, and will hardly contribute as a regionally or nationally significant renewable energy project by providing at best only 0.2% of NZ annual power requirements. The developers also consistently conflate the benefits of the dam with the envisioned “Taheke 8C Green Energy Hub” which includes a much larger, previously Fast-Track approved Geothermal project. This lends credence to the idea that the dam will have a negligible positive impact – the dam should be assessed on its own merits, and it’s clear the positives do not outweigh the negative impacts.
Whitewater NZ has been sharing information about the project as we’ve learned it via our social media channels. We’ve also been conducting a media campaign to inform the public and stakeholder groups on Taheke 8C’s secretive dam project – these press releases have put a spotlight on the dam project:
March 17: Kaituna River kayakers fight plans for hydro-electric scheme
March 20: Olympians hit back against Kaituna River plans
March 28: Possible Kaituna River dam project could have ‘catastrophic impacts’, board hears
April 18: Landowners renew fast-track bid for Kaituna hydro scheme
NZ Olympian Luuka Jones helping stand against this proposed dam on the Kaituna River
We have been and are continually working collaboratively with affected stakeholders, including iwi, downstream landowners, and environmental groups, to protect the Kaituna/Ōkere Awa through means both legal and otherwise.
At this stage, we are pursuing all possible avenues to challenge the Fast Track referral application, focusing on stopping this project before it advances to the resource consent application stage. We’ll provide updates on how these efforts are evolving in the coming days as the referral application is assessed by MFE and the Minister for Infrastructure – we’re hoping for a positive outcome given the widespread, unanimous opposition to the dam from many affected groups we’re working with.
Follow our socials (@whitewaternz) for other key updates, spread awareness of what this dam would destroy, and become a Whitewater NZ member to help contribute to our collective voice. This is critically important to help protect this treasured river for future generations.
A massive thanks to those who have already contributed their expert knowledge and helped out in our publicity campaign to raise awareness and combat the proposal! These contributions have been invaluable to our efforts to keep the Kaituna/Ōkere Awa free flowing and enjoyed by all.
Note: This timeline is based on information available as of April 2025. Whitewater NZ will continue to update as new developments occur.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Kaituna Dam Proposal: The Current Fight to Protect The Awa
In 2023, Whitewater NZ launched the Awa Aroha Fund, designed to support paddlers affected by tragic river incidents in Aotearoa. To bring the community together and raise funds for this important cause, we are hosting movie nights across the country, showcasing inspiring short films that celebrate the spirit of adventure and the power of our waterways.
Join us for an evening packed with adrenaline, stunning landscapes, and compelling stories. Each event will feature three exceptional films that highlight incredible river journeys, environmental conservation, and the resilience of paddlers worldwide.
Find your nearest screening and grab your tickets now!
🎟 Tickets: $25 per person
The Awa Aroha Fund is a crucial new initiative by Whitewater NZ aimed at supporting paddlers involved in serious river incidents. The fund provides access to professional counselling services, group debrief sessions, and essential information on coping with grief and survivor’s guilt. By removing barriers to getting help, we are ensuring that our paddling community is supported in the best way possible.
Come along, enjoy an evening of adventure, and help make a difference in the whitewater community. If you’re keen to host an event in your own town not already listed, fill out this form or reach out to us at communications@whitewater.nz.
Secure your tickets today and support a future where all paddlers can navigate not just rivers, but also the challenges that come with them—together.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Awa Aroha Fund Movie Night
During January 2025 WWNZ hosted our annual community photo contest – we had 74 unique photos submitted, 20 finalists, with the top 3 chosen by community vote to receive a cash prize!
We were super stoked with the quality of the submissions this year – thanks to all those who submitted! Even if your picture wasn’t featured yet, it’ll make an appearance on our socials at some stage – keep an eye out 🩵🌊
Here’s the chosen top 3 – how good!
2025 PHOTO COMP FIRST PLACE 🥇
By far your most popular vote, our first-place winner is a submission by @dan.sutherland capturing a unique perspective of @dmf_ward on the move in the Routeburn River! 🌊🩷
Dan’s consistent efforts and creativity behind the camera never cease to amaze, so we think taking the win with this shot is well-deserved. Make sure to keep an eye out for any of his other epic submissions that might pop up on our socials later as well!
2025 PHOTO COMP SECOND PLACE 🥈
Our second-place winner is a submission by @kay_mccrack of @nicktroutmankayak throwing some flowy freestyle during an evening Hāwea Wave session – congrats on the epic shot Kaylee! The community froths it 🌊⏳
WWNZ 2025 PHOTO COMP THIRD PLACE 🥉
Our third-place winner is a submission by @mic.uhl of himself lining up some freefall on the Tora Bora waterfalls in Gnarway – captured by @p_uhl72! We love to see the siblings throwing down and capturing the eager watch party at the lip – maybe Kiwis can fly?!
Sweet shot Pipi and thanks for the submission Michel!
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on 2025 Photo Contest Winners
Whitewater NZ is so proud to be announcing our new Awa Aroha fund.
This fund will be used to support paddlers across Aotearoa who are involved in serious whitewater incidents.
The fund’s purpose is to support river crew after a serious river incident by bridging the gap between victim support services and the individuals accessing government funded mental health services. There’s often at least a 6 month wait (it varies by DHB) to access public support if someone is struggling, and we want to support people during the in between, and provide access to group debriefing sessions with vetted professionals. We don’t think a six month wait time is good enough, so we want to bridge this gap.
Eligibility is direct involvement in a fatal or near fatal incident, in a river environment, in NZ, while participating in whitewater paddle craft activities in a recreational capacity.
People will not have to be a member of Whitewater NZ to receive this support. You can read the full policy here.
To fundraise for this new support, Whitewater NZ is hosting a series of fundraising film nights, and appealing for donations.
Now we’re not a big organisation with bottomless pits of money, this support won’t be a long term solution, but something to bridge the gap between accessing publicly funded support services available in NZ.
We would really appreciate the clubs support in promoting this event to your community, and helping us to provide services to paddlers who need it. You can book tickets here.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Awa Aroha Fund
Submissions for our annual photo competition are now open!
How to Enter:
Capture the Thrill and submit your entry via Google form by 15 November 2023. Include your name, the paddler(s) name, a brief description of the photo, and where it was taken.
Prizes:
Competition Rules:
Judging Criteria:
The WWNZ Board will vote for the top 10, with the top 3 chosen by popular vote of the members on our social media channels.
If you have any questions, reach out to us at communications@whitewater.nz.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Whitewater NZ Photo Competition 2023
Nominations for the Whitewater NZ Paddler of the Year 2023 are open!
If you know someone who deserves to be recognised for their dedication, skill and contributions to our rivers and sport, email your nomination(s) along with a short blurb (max 200 words) outlining why they deserve to win to communications@whitewater.nz.
Nominations are due by 15 November 2023. The WWNZ Board will then curate all nominations and the winner will be chosen by popular vote of the members on our social media channels.
Happy Paddling!
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Paddler of the Year 2023
MPI has classified Freshwater Gold Clam as an invasive species in NZ Waterways.
This freshwater mollusc (also known as Asian gold clam) was discovered along a stretch of the Waikato River in May 2023. Biosecurity New Zealand is working with iwi and other partners to prevent the spread of the clam.
Remember to CHECK, CLEAN, DRY between waterways.
The freshwater gold clam is native to eastern Asia and is widely established in North and South America and Europe.
These clams reproduce rapidly and form large populations that can clog water-based infrastructure such as electricity generation plants, irrigation systems, and water treatment plants. They are filter feeders that can potentially compete with native species for food. We do not yet know how this species will respond in New Zealand conditions.
Overseas, this clam has proved difficult to control and eradication has never been achieved.
Find out how to identify freshwater gold clams
Source and more information available here: MPI
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Freshwater gold clam (Corbicula fluminea)
