Disturbing sight in stream
Apossible diesel or oil spill that seeped its way into a feeder stream at the southern tip of Lake MoanaNui last week joins a list of ongoing issues with pollution.
The slick was discovered by Tokoroa man Bob Talbot while on a routine walk.
He notified Waikato Regional Council and South Waikato District Council.
Mr Talbot praised the swift efforts of both councils.
‘‘It is an ongoing problem with pollution coming down the stream,’’ he said. ‘‘They think it was diesel. ‘‘It was most likely that somebody tipped it in down the stormwater drain on Tainui St and it has made its way into feeder stream at the top of Lake MoanaNui.’’
Mr Talbot said he saw a substantial amount floating downstream.
‘‘You will see how much there was. ‘‘The shiny bits are the oil. ‘‘It was quite an oily smell as well. I would say that somebody was changing the oil on their car,’’ he said.
Over the course of his seven years in Tokoroa, Mr Talbot has smelt oil up to three times from a part of the lake.
While the ongoing issue of pollution includes rubbish being dumped at the lake site, the harm that oil and diesel could have on wildlife is potentially devastating.
‘‘Any quantity will damage (the wildlife).
‘‘Birds will get it stuck in their feathers and they wouldn’t be able to fly.
‘‘To me it is not right,’’ Mr Talbot said.
Forest & Bird’s central North Island officer Al Fleming said the possible damage of oil leaks is especially high as birds are now nesting.
Depending on the amount of grease, birds could become coated in it, taking it back to their nests.
Birds inhabiting Lake MoanaNui include black scaup, teal, spoonbill, paradise duck, pukeko, black shag, pied shag, little shag, black stilt, spurwing plover, aust- ralian coot and grey heron.
‘‘They could die. They would be coated in oil and because their insulating qualities would be affected, hypothermia could set in and they could drown.
‘‘They could take the oil back to the nest.
‘‘ It could be passed to their chicks.’’
Such oil and diesel leaks would affect the micro-organisms which are part of the food chain.
‘‘ The oil could also settle in pools.
‘‘ This oil probably could be caught in lake bed sediments.’’
South Waikato District Council said it has not been able to identify the substance but suspected it came from Tainui St.
‘‘While we don’t know what this