February full on but south holds it together

OPINION: Who would have predicted that during February there would be so many events that would affect the Southland economy, health and well-being of many of our people?

Measures to contain the rapidly spreading Coronavirus in China had an immediate ripple effect on tourism bookings, particularly in Fiordland, exports to China for the likes of our crayfish and now commodity prices, including wool and meat. Then we had the flood event in Southland and Otago, which set new records in several places for a 48-hour total rainfall.

The flood has been devastating for people dealing with damaged homes and farms and I know Emergency Management Southland has been focused on ensuring people in need know where they can get both practical and emotional support as they grapple with the aftermath.

Emergency Management Southland and the people involved from across our councils, other services, and professionals who came to help from outside our region have been doing a fantastic job in the lead-up to the Civil Defence state of emergency being declared and ever since.

Now as we move into recovery mode, the work to support those in need and to restore our communities will continue.

Here at Environment Southland, we were pleased with the effectiveness of our stopbank networks during this event, which is the biggest flood we have a record for in the Mataura catchment.

By and large, the stopbanks did the job they were designed for, and protected many properties, but their capacity was tested, and a programme of work is under way to assess, restore and maintain them.

The flood brought to national attention the ongoing concerns for the health and safety of Mataura locals should the ouvea premix (modified aluminium dross) stored in the old paper mill, get wet.

The Rio Tinto board appeared to be struck down by a particularly virulent strain of foot and mouth disease when it scuttled the deal negotiated by Gore District Council with the Tiwai aluminium smelter to remove the dross; let’s hope it recovers quickly.

But seriously, it should not underestimate the depth of anger its announcement caused and the reputational damage that has been done. It will be difficult to repair the good relationship the smelter has had with Southland over many years, unless a quick resolution is found.

In this day and age, there is an increasing expectation that industries will take responsibility for their own waste products.

Several people approached me at the Southern Field Days in Waimumu last week to raise concerns about gravel buildup reducing capacity on some reaches of our major rivers. It’s one of the matters our catchment engineers will be considering and seeking advice on as they begin the annual round of river liaison committee meetings next week.

These are public meetings and anyone is welcome to attend, particularly if you have local knowledge to share. Each committee advises the council on local river and drainage issues and assists with the development of maintenance programmes and budgets. Check our website or Facebook page for times and dates of the meeting in your river catchment.

Our shared site at field days with the Southland District Council seemed to work well. Thanks to all the people who came by; it was great to see you.

One of the positives during the month was the feedback following a flight to look at winter crop paddocks. We found most farmers were complying with setbacks and managing high-risk areas, which is very encouraging following last winter’s issues and it’s important that we keep a focus on this.

Our staff will be following up with farmers and offering free advice on how to manage crops on a small number of paddocks that looked to have challenging aspects to them. We have been working closely with industry groups and Federated Farmers to ensure clear and consistent messaging is being given on winter grazing.

By the time this article goes to print, I will have been to Wellington and will hopefully have been updated on the Government’s Essential Freshwater package, and whether the one-size-fits-all aspects are likely to be modified.

Uncertainty is corrosive, and one of the messages from conversations at the field days was that many people are putting off making major decisions until they receive clear direction.

I want to finish by acknowledging the many stories of resilience, communities supporting each other, and the individual acts of kindness and generosity that occurred during the flood event.

Adversity so often brings out the best in people. And, a special thank you to all those people who have worked tirelessly though the state of emergency to keep Southlanders safe and well informed.

❚ Nicol Horrell is the chairman of Environment Southland.