Okato dairy farmer fined $42k for diverting stream

An Okato dairy farmer has been fined $42,000 for illegally diverting a stream through his property.

Denis Goodwin had previously admitted charges of carrying out illegal earthworks on his Komene Rd farm.

Goodwin admitted three charges of breaching the Resource Management Act by discharging sediment into the water, disturbing and reclaiming the beds of rivers and diverting and damming water.

An investigation was launched in September 2022 after the Taranaki Regional Council received a complaint from the public about work being carried out on the Waikirikiri Stream and a tributary of that stream. Taranaki Iwi was also concerned about the works.

Council officers found that a 420m drainage channel directed the stream around the farm and a 23m earth dam had been constructed within the stream to redirect the water along that channel.

The flow from the tributary had also been redirected into the channel. This diversion led to 320m of the stream and 245m of the tributary being drained.

The drainage channel had been made with near vertical banks, which resulted in significant erosion, sediment from the earthworks also entered the water and there was a danger to public safety where this channel was cut close to Komene Rd. Unauthorised stream works can be detrimental to the health of waterways, causing loss of habitat, poor fish passage, changes in the river flow and sediment discharges.

The council issued an abatement notice for Goodwin to take remedial action. All of the works including the removal of the dam, the filling in of the drainage channel and the work to reinstate the tributary was completed by May 1 last year.

Council director of resource management Fred Mclay said individuals taking it upon themselves to realign and reclaim streams and other waterways on or near their properties could risk causing huge environmental damage to freshwater and biodiversity.

“Our message is clear – we will not tolerate this kind of illegal activity and those who deliberately undertake work to realign waterways may face prosecution.”

Judge Melinda Dickey handed down her sentence on April 18 after Goodwin had previously appeared before her in the Environment Court in February.