Catchment area
Regions: Waikato/BoP, Waikato
The Whangape catchment community covers over 200 farms in some 34,000 ha of mixed and diverse productive farmland. The landscape varies from striking hill country at the top of the catchment to Lake Whangape and its wetlands (1,450 ha) at the lower end of the catchment. Over 70% of the area is hill country farmland. The catchment can be broadly grouped into sub-catchments flowing into the lake; the Upper Maire, Matira & Pepepe & greater Mines area (Ruawaro & Rotongaro). Water quality has noticeably declined in the lake in the last 20 years and there are increasing numbers of koi carp and pest fish in the lake and its sub-catchments.
About
There are several sub-catchment groups in the area which have been meeting regularly since June 2018. The groups are made up of local farmers supported by an independent coordinator with funding from the MNNI-Beef & Lamb Farmer Council. There have been a over 20 catchment community events run with the groups and increasing collaboration with Waikato Regional Council, Waikato River Authority and local iwi and hapū to achieve goals. A number of farmers are working together and taking increasing actions to understand and improve waterway health in their catchment, including catchment monitoring, wetland restoration, riparian planting, fencing waterways and existing bush blocks and mixed soil conservation plantings on hill country.