Save The Clutha

Option Five Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:15:00 +0000

The 'Option 5 Campaign' Starts Here!

Contact Energy has proposed four dams for the Clutha River, but they have not mentioned that there is another choice, 'Option 5' - No more dams.

12 Reasons To Avoid Proposed Clutha Dams

1. More Clutha dams would be for shareholder profits, not for local people
Contact Energy is motivated by shareholder returns, not by what is best for the local people, or New Zealand. The energy sector is structured to encourage growth for profit, which reduces the producer’s incentive to invest in energy conservation. While consumers have a cost incentive to save energy, producers have a profit incentive to sell more.

2. Energy efficiency can negate the need for new generation at less cost
Energy efficiency measures including better demand-side management, such as shifting energy usage from on-peak to off-peak periods, can significantly reduce or negate the need for new generation capacity. In most cases, demand reductions can be achieved at less cost than constructing new generation.

3. Power prices usually go up when new generation is built
Soaring power prices cannot be addressed by building new generation, because as history shows, the consumer is likely to fund this additional generation through higher power prices, which in turn drive hyper-inflation unless the unit price of electricity can be subsidised by industrial consumers.

4. Otago already has more power than it needs
Otago-Southland has 7% of the country’s population, and 20% of its generation capacity. This generation percentage is set to increase with the new Kaiwera Downs and Mahinerangi Wind Farms. Otago exports an average of 70% of its power. Generation closer to the end-user is more energy efficient, more equitable, and costs less to supply.

5. Large dams have massive carbon footprints and are not clean and green
Large dams are not clean and green because they have a “full life” carbon footprint that is 2 to 6 times larger than an average wind farm (another poor option), cause serious environmental and community impacts, degrade ecosystem integrity, submerge productive land, and impose long-term costs, risks and liabilities relating to reservoir sedimentation, flooding, instability and eventual decommissioning, that if fully taken into account would make them uneconomic.

6. Large dams are not truly “renewable”
Large-scale hydro (over 10 MW) is no longer defined as a “renewable” by many organisations including the World Wildlife Fund, because the “full life” negative impacts of large hydro outweigh the renewable benefits in terms of being truly environmentally safe and sustainable. More than 260 organisations have signed the International Rivers declaration to exclude large hydro, over 10 MW, from renewable energy initiatives in the carbon market.

7. Climate change poses a significant risk for hydro storage
New Zealand’s security of supply is threatened by our heavy reliance on large hydro because climate change is causing more unreliable rainfall patterns. NIWA has identified large-scale pattern variations that “pose a significant risk” for hydro storage. "Dry Winters" have already been financially devastating to Contact Energy.

8. Damming the Clutha River again would not solve the energy problem
If energy demand grows at 2.5% p.a. as predicted, we would need the equivalent of one new Luggate dam (86 MW) every 6 months, or one new Tuapeka dam (350 MW) every 25 months, or another Clyde dam (432 MW) every 29 months. This is a dead-end strategy. Clearly a long-term solution is needed.

9. NZ’s largest single “new” renewable is Neptune Power’s Cook Strait option
Neptune Power’s Cook Strait marine power development is the single largest, and the most promising “new” renewable energy available to New Zealand. It has very large expansion potential (17000 MW), gives a guaranteed weather-independent output, and has a relatively low material cost. This innovative new energy technology offers substantial opportunities for New Zealand in a quickly changing world.

10. The Clutha River corridor has many rare species needing protection
The Clutha River corridor is home to many unique and endangered species. However ecosystem integrity is declining because of invasive species, abstraction, pollution, real estate development, and hydrological dysfunction associated with hydro dam reservoirs. Conservation and restoration is needed, not more dams.

11. The Clutha River is part of our identity and cannot be replaced
The outstanding natural, recreational, tourism, heritage and cultural values of the Clutha River cannot be replaced. There is no other river in Otago, perhaps New Zealand, which is so well suited to such a wide range of river activities, both recreational and commercial, including kayaking, rafting, jetboating, canoeing, guided raft-fishing, fly-fishing, triathlons, kayak schools, and river trail walking / cycling / mountain-biking.

12. River trail investment and economic benefits must be protected
River communities are working on river trails, which will provide long-term economic benefits without destroying the free-flowing river. Investment in trails will amount to many millions of dollars, and this investment will return to the river communities many times over, as trail-based tourism generates new jobs and services. This investment and these economic benefits must be protected.

Prepared by the CLUTHA RIVER FORUM, an alliance of: Upper Clutha River Guardians, Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group, Central Otago Environmental Society (Save Central), Clutha Gold Trail Trust, Beaumont Residents Group, Lower Clutha River Guardians, and individuals throughout Otago and New Zealand.

Position Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:14:00 +0000

Position Statement of the Clutha River Forum
September 2009

An examination of the proposition, made by Contact Energy, that further large-scale hydro dams are justified on the Clutha River to meet the future energy needs of New Zealand.

We have examined the four Clutha dam options Contact Energy has communicated to the public, and after thorough consideration of the facts surrounding the efficacy of these options, we have chosen Option 5 – no further dams. This statement sets out the reasons for our decision.

1. Introduction
There is no doubt that the energy question concerns all New Zealanders, and that to gain a full understanding of the issues it is necessary to take into account the underlying reasons for Contact Energy’s investigation of large hydro options on the Clutha River. We have done this, taking collective responsibility where others, including Contact Energy, have failed or are unable to do so. We offer some solutions.

2. The Unsustainable Pursuit of Growth
We are witnessing an unprecedented global crisis, directly threatening our way of life. This is to be expected. We have built our civilisation on the myth that we are an exceptional species, endowed with the ability to control “nature.” We believe that the environment exists primarily to serve us as a “resource,” failing to understand that the natural environment already serves us, but cannot do so when destroyed. Somehow, we believe that we can continue to grow our population, able to use dwindling “resources” indefinitely, if only we can manage our problems with better technology. Our economic system is driven by a need for growth. We have fuelled this growth by using an energy source that we have lately realized is disastrously destructive to our climate, our world. After all this, we are now, as a civilisation, standing blind-folded on the slippery slope of our “Peak Oil” culture, fiddling with the peripherals, while the core issue is ignored.

Climate change has arrived, and every “resource” indicator is falling, because we refuse to live sustainably. The best we can do is to seek the least bad outcome. The most important change we can make is to acknowledge our utter dependence on that which gives us life – our environment.

But this will mean absolutely nothing unless we refocus our economy to serve the natural environment, instead of the other way round. Placing meaningful economic values on living rivers, living forests, and the Earth’s ecosystem withal, by implementing proper environmental accounting processes, is essential.

“New Zealand is currently very far from being sustainable, and does not have policies and practices that can achieve sustainability. …We need a new approach to economics that maximises the community wellbeing within the requirement for ecological integrity.” (Strong Sustainability for New Zealand report, May 2009, SANZ Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand.)[Ref. i.]

However, change will be difficult because our decision-makers, in politics and business, are accustomed to the existing failing paradigms of economics and governance. Can Contact Energy adapt?

3. Adapting to Resource Depletion
Oil is the fundamental building block of the world’s economy, but it is running out. A Merrill Lynch (2009) analysis has concluded that oil production is already in an irreversible decline.[Ref. ii.]

During the 1960’s, the world consumed about 6 billion barrels per year while finding about 30-60 billion per year. The consumption/discovery ratios have approximately reversed themselves in recent years. The world now consumes close to 30 billion barrels per year but finds less than 4 billion per year. The top-10 oil groups spent about US$8 billion combined on exploration last year, but this only led to commercial discoveries with a net present value of slightly less than US$4 billion. In other words, significant new oil discoveries are so scarce that looking for them is uneconomic. In light of these trends, it should come as little surprise that the energy analysts at John C Herold Inc. - the firm that foretold Enron's demise - recently confirmed industry rumours that we are on the verge of an unprecedented crisis.

Evidence shows that oil production peaked in late 2005 (Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak, By Professor Kenneth S. Deffeyes)[Ref. iii.] “Peak Oil” arrived as demand continued to soar. Consequently, the price rose almost 400% in only three years. By July 2008, the global economy began to buckle under the weight of soaring energy and commodity prices, until mortgagees – particularly in the “subprime” category, couldn’t keep up, and since the banks had created capital by lending more than they had on deposit, the financial system collapsed. The brief respite we now have in the price of oil will not last. It simply reflects the fact that there is even less money available than oil.

“To meet climbing global requirements, OPEC will have to increase its output from 30 MBD to at least 50 MBD. Significantly, no OPEC nation, except perhaps Saudi Arabia, is investing sufficient sums in new technologies and recovery methods to achieve such growth.” (Joint Operating Environment report, US Department of Defense, Nov25, 2008)[Ref. iv.]

Most estimates state there will be at least a two-percent annual growth in global oil demand over the years ahead, along with, conservatively, a three-percent natural decline in production.

An increase in the amount of economic activity requires an increase in the amount of net-energy (i.e. the net-number of BTU’s) available to fuel those activities. As no alternative source, or combination of sources, comes remotely close to the energy density of oil (473,750 BTU’s per litre), a decline or even plateau in the supply of oil carries "game-ending" consequences for the financial system.

In order to survive, we must drastically reduce our dependence on oil. Nearly all the work done in the world economy, all the agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and transportation, depends on energy derived from fuel, with the lion's share coming from declining oil and natural gas. Modern medicine, water distribution, and national defense are each entirely powered by oil and petroleum derived chemicals.

Every product has an oil component. The construction of an average car consumes the energy equivalent of approximately 20 barrels of oil. It takes 1 litre of oil to produce 1 litre of milk. To produce a tonne of copper requires 112 million BTU's or the equal of 17.8 barrels of oil. All our cities and infrastructures have been built, and are maintained, by using almost unfathomable quantities of oil.

In the future, we will face unprecedented shortages of low cost energy, especially oil-based energy. All finished materials and services will become more expensive. Therefore, we will be compelled to conserve and recycle to a maximum. It is necessary to plan for a future where all “resources” are scarce and expensive. All heavy metals will become scarce as they are progressively mined out. The only materials readily available will be based on light metals such as Calcium, Titanium, Aluminium, Silicon, Carbon and Magnesium or their associated compounds. Even steel will be in short supply. The cost of all products will spiral.

As we move away from oil dependence, and all the fossil fuels complicit in climate change, it follows that electricity generation using oil, gas and coal will decline, while the demand for reliable renewable electricity to replace this retired generation, and to power electric cars and other battery-based products, will increase dramatically.

Adapting to this post “Peak Oil” world will require more than repeating the energy solutions of the past, such as large-scale hydro. This is not a time for “business as usual.” We need to develop truly renewable energies; that is to say, not dependant on the exploitation of the declining number of free-flowing rivers, or on metals and minerals in terminal decline, and not subject to the vagaries of the weather. We urgently need to prepare a reliable and expandable supply of electricity.

We are cognisant of the fact that energy companies are handicapped by established business models, and their inability to adapt quickly and effectively away from generation, such as “large-scale” hydro, which has diminishing prospects. However, successful energy companies will recognise, and benefit from, innovative new technologies such as marine power (see ‘Tidal Power and Cook Strait’ below).

4. Energy Conservation First
The lowest impact, quickest and most cost-effective alternative to new generation projects is to reduce waste and improve efficiency. The latest figures from EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority)[Ref. v.] show that New Zealand's energy efficiency has improved at only 0.7% per annum over the medium term from 1995 to 2007. Even so, about 34% of the increased demand for energy services was met through improvements in energy efficiency. It is patently obvious that energy conservation measures have the potential to significantly offset, or negate, the need for additional generation, providing a breathing space for the development of more sustainable options, needed to replace unsustainable generation from existing oil, coal, gas fired power stations and ultimately large-scale hydro.

The poor efficiencies already gained do not take into account reported power losses of up to 25% in transmission via the HVDC.

In New Zealand, it is likely that we waste so much energy that we do not need to generate much more, if any, especially if our population is held in check, but it is also likely that energy conservation measures such as more household insulation, and appliance “energy footprint” ratings, will continue to move too slowly, held back by a government lacking in urgency and vision.

The move to high energy agriculture, with dairying and irrigated farming, is also seriously impacting energy demand, with associated environmental costs that have not yet been included in the value equation.

According to often quoted figures, we are using about 2% to 2.5% more energy each year, as our population and economy grows, with the potential of an additional 1% if the anticipated growth of electric vehicles eventuates. But as these figures are sourced from producer data, how can we be sure that they represent an accurate assessment? We believe this data deserves the utmost scrutiny.

If we are to believe projected growth figures, then New Zealanders are facing an energy dilemma. There are critical choices to be made in every aspect of our lives. Either we as a culture continue down the path of unchecked growth and consumption without sufficient regard to the unsustainable consequences, or we embark on meaningful changes to reduce wholesale inefficiency across all sectors of our society, from the producer, to transmission network, to the end-user.

The global recession has sharpened our sense of urgency, but it has not focused us on how to avoid more of the same, and worse. The present crisis, of all things, should provide impetus for change, in the way we think about energy, about consumption, and about the environment that gives us what we need to live. In short, we should now realize that we need to move toward a “steady state economy.”

How is Contact Energy responding to this crisis? On the public record, all that Contact Energy seemingly wants is “a return to normal rainfall patterns …. and higher wholesale electricity prices.”

This is typical of a complicit business model unable to adapt. Key indicators of improvement are based on a return to consumption, with the implication that we are meant to consume our way out of recession, rather than address the cause of the recession. Saving, and living sustainably within our means to achieve equilibrium, is not promoted. Contact Energy is a player in this flawed cycle of profit-driven production and consumption. The grim reality is that this disease is endemic, and that change will come painfully slowly, driven by necessity, on the heels of further global crises.

5. The Case for Energy Sector Restructuring
There is a fundamental problem with the New Zealand system. Customers have a cost incentive to save energy, but producers have a profit incentive to sell more. The producer is bound to a business model that is incentivised to build, produce and sell energy for profit. This reduces the producer’s incentive to invest in energy conservation, and demand-side management strategies, such as shifting energy usage from on-peak to off-peak periods.

The irony is that the consumer is likely to fund additional profit-driven generation through higher power prices, which will in turn drive hyper-inflation unless the unit price of electricity can be subsidised by industrial consumers. It is a case of the “tail wagging the dog” as the producer promotes growth. The producer can always point to projected consumption to justify further generation infrastructure, but this presupposes that the most logical first measure, efficient energy use, is not an option.

This “resource” wasting business model is handicapped by similarly inefficient distribution mechanisms. Better real-time price information, and a resolution of long-stalled efforts to create effective transmission hedging mechanisms, would improve wholesale market arrangements.

It is our view that the energy sector must be restructured to incentivise energy conservation at every stage of electricity management, production and distribution. Past restructuring has failed to deliver efficiencies. Instead, energy companies have manipulated the supply and demand equation to reap enormous benefits. Regional and local responsibility must be re-instated, with generation closer to consumption encouraged, and energy conservation must become the norm at all levels of society.

6. Otago in the Supply and Demand Equation
Contact Energy has justified further dams on the Clutha River by telling us, time and again, that we need more power in the south, because of growing demand in Otago, and because of the relatively new phenomenon of southbound electricity across the Cook Strait HVDC. But discreetly kept off the agenda is an examination of just how much power Otago produces already, how much Otago uses and where that southbound North Island power actually goes. You do not need to be an energy expert to work it out. Otago hydro dams have the capacity to generate up to 1730 MW of power. This includes the Clutha dams – Clyde and Roxburgh, the Waitaki dams – Aviemore, Benmore, Waitaki (on the North Otago boundary), and smaller schemes such as Waipori. But how much does Otago actually use?

A visit to http://www.systemoperator.co.nz/ [Ref. vi.] provides a clear picture of just where the power is being used. There are 14 grid zones listed and, at any time of the day or night, it is obvious that Otago consumes significantly less than any other region in New Zealand, except for Westland.

Canterbury consumes six times as much power as Otago, while Southland – even excluding the gross consumption of power by the Tiwai Point smelter – manages to use about twice as much. Not only does Otago export 70% of its average power generation to Canterbury and Southland, but none of the southbound power across the Cook Strait HVDC goes further south than Christchurch. To say otherwise is to admit to a massive failure of Otago’s hydro generators to deliver even 30% of their capacity, because of lines restrictions or market issues that have no bearing on whether or not we need more dams on the Clutha River.

Otago-Southland has 7% of the country’s population, and 20% of its generation capacity. This generation percentage is set to increase with the construction of Kaiwera Downs and Mahinerangi Wind Farms, as well as – potentially – Project Hayes. Contact Energy’s expert witnesses expressly acknowledged the disproportionate amount of generation in the south in the company’s environment court appeal for MWF.

7. The Decline of “Large-Scale Hydro”
We are told that to maintain our present society and standard of living we need a minimum increase in power availability of 2.5% per annum (peak power), with 170 MW of new generation added each year. Based on this figure, we would need the equivalent of one Luggate dam (86 MW) every 6 months, or one Tuapeka dam (350 MW) every 25 months, or another Clyde dam (432 MW) every 29 months. Clearly, this is not a credible long-term solution. It is a dead-end strategy that will not meet future needs, while wasting time, money, and destroying our valuable rivers.

By continuing to advocate the 1980’s “think big” dam development model on the Clutha River, Contact Energy is taking a backward-thinking approach to energy planning. This reveals a dogged and misguided belief in an outdated model, and it is indicative of Contact Energy’s embedded intransigence born of reliance on old policies and methods that are now failing, worldwide, as evidenced by the WCD (World Commission on Dams) final report, 2000.[Ref. vii.]

Large hydropower has been out of favour for a number of years because it doesn’t meet the international best practice guidelines in the water and energy sector.

Contact Energy appears to have a halcyon view of “large-scale hydro” derived from past “heroic decisions and engineering feats,” without acknowledging that New Zealand has reaped hydroelectric benefits only by exploiting many of it’s free-flowing rivers. In the past, the benefits of building dams were viewed as outweighing the obvious environmental impacts. That has changed.

The intrinsic problems associated with large dams have long been glossed over. Hydroelectricity is often falsely promoted as cheap and reliable. While the operating costs of hydroelectric dams can be low (not the Clyde dam) compared to fossil fuel plants, their construction costs are extremely high, running into the billions of dollars for major projects. They are also prone to cost overruns. The WCD (World Commission on Dams, 2000)[Ref. viii.] found that on average dams cost 56% more than projected. And 55% of the hydroelectric projects studied by the WCD generated less power than planners promised. In New Zealand, the Clyde dam is an obvious example of disastrous cost overruns. According to the public record, the 1982 winning bid of the joint venture of W. Williamson & Co. of Christchurch and Ed. Zublin AG of Stuttgart, was $102.6 million. Ten years later when the dam began producing power, the cost had climbed to $1.4 – 1.8 billion. Conversely, the planned generation of 612 MW had fallen to an actual capacity of 432 MW.

Typically, construction and mitigation costs are underestimated, long-term costs are ignored, the value of the proposed dam and mitigation measures are inflated, while the value of the current and potential benefits from the existing environment are underreported. Contact Energy is promoting its dam proposals according to this pattern.

It is a telling fact that more dams are being decommissioned than built in the U.S., in what is becoming a trend for older large dams. Only the so-called third-world countries, and New Zealand, are still pursuing large-scale hydroelectricity.

8. Climate and Falling Security of Supply
It has become increasingly evident that hydroelectricity is not a reliable source of energy because it depends on the vagaries of the hydrological cycle. Many hydropower-dependent countries, including Brazil, Norway, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Ecuador and Vietnam, and of course New Zealand, have suffered serious power shortages due to droughts.

Contact Energy talks about “… a future role to play for more large-scale hydro projects over the coming years.” Why would a responsible generating company wish to keep relying on a form of generation that is in the front-line for negative climate change impacts?

New Zealand's heavy reliance on hydro has been exposed in past “dry winters” when hydro storage has dropped. The increasing unreliability of seasonal weather is an accepted consequence of a warming climate, which is expected to cause more extreme weather events. This dry year problem is not only worsening, but resulting in greater seasonal fluctuations in both dry and wet weather, causing a “feast or famine” in the supply of water, particularly in the South Island hydro lakes.

According to NIWA (National Institute of Water & Atmosphere Research), climate change will “introduce big changes in the seasonality of hydro storage, because it will change the accumulation and melt of snow in the Southern Alps.” “Long-term variability in lake inflows and rainfall is related to alternating phases of the IPO, a recently identified large-scale pattern of climate variation that affects the whole Pacific basin. The IPO may be changing phase again, back to the pattern observed before 1977. If this occurs, low inflow periods for South Island lakes will be more frequent (and possibly more severe) over the next 20-30 years than was the case during 1977-98. This would pose a significant risk for the security of electricity supply.”[Ref. ix.]

Contact Energy should be rigorously planning to reduce exposure to this vulnerability, since not to do so will impact harshly not only on Contact Energy, but on all New Zealanders. In this respect, large hydro projects can be described as contrary to the “national interest.”

Given the experience of recent years, Contact Energy should be well aware of the serious financial ramifications of changing weather patterns. Can Contact Energy afford to ignore these risks?

9. Large-Scale Hydro is Not Truly “Renewable”
Contact Energy’s claim that further dams on the Clutha are among our “best renewable” options, is an attempt to repackage old strategies with green-washed language.

The distinction between small and large hydro is critical in helping to define what technologies are to be considered as "renewable."

In recent years the definition of “renewable energy” has been increasingly redefined to distinguish an energy source that is both naturally replenishing and environmentally safe and sustainable. The term “new” renewable energy has also been used to define the latest wave of renewable technologies that are truly environmentally sustainable.

By such standards, hydropower over 10 MW is no longer considered renewable because the negative impacts of large hydropower outweigh the renewable benefits. Large concrete gravity dams have a full life carbon footprint at least double that of a large wind farm (another poor option). At the same time, large dams have serious environmental and human consequences, degrading ecosystem integrity, displacing communities, submerging productive land, and imposing riverine regimes that cannot be sustained indefinitely.

At the June 2004 International Renewable Energies Conference in Bonn, large hydro greater than 10 MW was not included as a true renewable because it fails to deliver defensible outcomes in terms of full life carbon footprint, sustainability, and the usual triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental value. The World Bank now excludes large hydro over 10 MW from its “new” renewables calculations.

This failure of large hydro as a true renewable is even more apparent in terms of the ‘Strong Sustainability’ model, Strong Sustainability for New Zealand report, May 2009, SANZ (Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand)[Ref. x.]

10. The Carbon Footprint of Large Hydro
A carbon footprint is the total amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, emitted over the full life cycle of a process or product. It is expressed as grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt hour of generation (gCO2eq/kWh), which accounts for the different global warming effects of other greenhouse gases.

When we consider the carbon footprint of a large-scale hydro project (“full life cost”), it is easy to understand why large dams rate so poorly. For example, the Clyde dam contains 1 million cubic metres of concrete, equivalent to about 3 million tonnes. Manufacturing one tonne of cement requires 4.7 million BTU’s of energy, which is the amount contained in about 170 litres of oil or 190 kilograms of coal. Obviously, this combined with emissions from machinery involved in earthworks for foundations, roading, terrain forming, landslide mitigation, and through the loss of river corridor carbon sink forests or vegetation, adds up to an enormous carbon footprint.

A comparative study at the University of Auckland found that large hydro has a full life carbon footprint that is 2.5 times larger than that of tidal energy.

“This study examined the comparative sustainability of four renewable electricity technologies in terms of their life cycle CO2 emissions and embodied energy, from construction to decommissioning and including maintenance (periodic component replacement plus machinery use), using life cycle analysis. The models developed were based on case studies of power plants in New Zealand, comprising geothermal, large-scale hydroelectric, tidal (a proposed scheme), and wind-farm electricity generation. The comparative results showed that tidal power generation was associated with 1.8 g of CO2/kWh, wind with 3.0 g of CO2/kWh, hydroelectric with 4.6 g of CO2/kWh, and geothermal with 5.6 g of CO2/kWh (not including fugitive emissions), and that tidal power generation was associated with 42.3 kJ/kWh, wind with 70.2 kJ/kWh, hydroelectric with 55.0 kJ/kWh, and geothermal with 94.6 kJ/kWh.” (Comparison of Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Embodied Energy in Four Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies in New Zealand, 2009.)[Ref. xi.]

A similar comparative study in the U.K. found that in terms of grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity generated, large hydro in the U.K. comes in with a carbon footprint 2 to 6 times larger than that of wind power. Specifically, large hydro has been measured at 10-30gCO2eq/kWh while wind has been measured at only 4.64gCO2eq/kWh, the lowest except for nuclear (Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation, 2006).[Ref. xii.]

If either of these studies had measured the carbon footprint of the Clyde dam, we suspect it would have been much larger than 10-30gCO2eq/kWh, because of the extensive roading and stabilization work that was required, and the additional concrete poured into countless thousands of drill holes between the 14 landslide areas and the river before inundation.

In the above, we haven’t taken into account that scientists have calculated that 95% of reservoir emissions come from water suddenly released through the turbines, in what has been called the "soda bottle effect." By implication, this is no longer just a tropical reservoir issue, because although emissions are less here in New Zealand, we also have many large dams. Scientists at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research calculate that the world’s large dams are responsible for producing 104 million metric tons of methane a year – making dams the single largest source of human caused methane. We believe this science needs further work in the temperate setting.

It is now interesting to note Contact’s claim that large-scale hydro has after construction benefits of “near-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” – a statement which conveniently ignores the fact that a dam needs to be built. The point must be made that any claim regarding emissions that doesn’t include the full life measure of a dam’s emissions, is worthless. This is nothing short of “green-washing,” in line with past thinking.

11. Where the Carbon Offset Market is Going
We are all aware of the emergence of the carbon regulatory environment. It remains to be seen how this will translate to New Zealand. There are more than a few issues to iron out.

The world's biggest carbon offset market, the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – run by the UN, is intended to reduce emissions by rewarding developing countries that invest in clean technologies. In fact, evidence is accumulating that it is increasing greenhouse gas emissions behind the guise of promoting sustainable development. This misguided mechanism is handing out billions of dollars to chemical, coal and oil corporations and the developers of destructive dams - in many cases for projects they would have built anyway.

We can get some idea of how things are shaping up by looking at the U.S., where renewable standards are being enacted to regulate the renewable portfolios of energy companies. Qualifying renewable resources must be new, so existing hydroelectric plants are not included. However, definitions of “renewable” vary among different state incarnations of the standards. Some programs define “incremental hydropower” (upgrades of existing hydro dams) as renewable, most grant credit to “small” dams (e.g. less than 30 MW), while others exclude all dams from the list of qualifying renewable resources. The U.S. compliance period for the standard begins in 2012.

Of course, the Copenhagen negotiations – probably extending into next year, will inevitably result in a considerable reshuffle of the global rules, and hopefully a new version of the CDM, impacting on future standards and targets country by country.

For now, it’s clear that the emerging carbon offset market is moving to exclude large-scale hydro. More than 260 organisations have signed on to the International Rivers declaration to exclude large hydro, over 10 MW, from renewable energy initiatives in the carbon offset market. Some U.S. states set their qualifying limit as low as 5 MW.

The offset debate is fraught with controversy. The most alarming fact is that carbon credits do not represent an "emission reduction.” There is no global benefit because offsetting is a "zero sum" game. If a mine cuts its methane emissions under the CDM, there will be no global climate benefit because the polluter that buys the offset avoids the obligation to reduce its own emissions. But worse than this, the CDM is so prone to abuse that 76% of the developments that have so far received offsets were actually already built at the time they applied for offset credits, and so they do not represent “additional” reductions. In other words, the CDM is even failing in the “zero sum” game.

This is why it is so important for Contact Energy to future proof its “renewable” portfolio by selecting generation options with the most defensible low carbon footprint. Financial considerations aside, everyone needs to drastically reduce emissions of all kinds.

12. Long-term Hidden Costs and Accountability
The Clutha dams experience is a case study of hidden costs and creeping long-term issues that were not originally taken into account.

When the Roxburgh dam was commissioned in 1956, the Clutha River was regarded as a southern resource that belonged to the people of New Zealand, a mind-set that has lingered into the 21st century. Electricity was a passport to prosperity, and the wonders of the Roxburgh Gorge were expendable. We can understand why it was built, but we can also lament the loss of “New Zealand's Grand Canyon” and this country's largest rapids, notably the Golden Falls at Island Basin, and the Molynuex Falls. To Māori the precipitous character of the Roxburgh Gorge earned it the name Kā Moana Haehae (the division of the waters). After the 1998 Ngāi Tahu settlement this name was applied to the bed of the Roxburgh reservoir.

The Roxburgh Gorge would certainly have become a whitewater industry draw-card, particularly from the 1980’s onwards when such growth occurred in Queenstown. Unwittingly, the builders of the Roxburgh dam removed this potential tourism windfall from Alexandra and Roxburgh. It can also been seen, in hindsight, that the trails used by gold-miners along both sides of the gorge, now mostly submerged, could have long ago become viable recreation and tourist trails.

It is often said that Cromwell developed because of the Clyde dam, but Cromwell never needed the Clyde dam to make it a successful tourist and viticulture centre. In fact, the area’s tourism development was stifled for over a decade during Clyde dam construction upheaval, uncertainty and delays, at a time when Queenstown was booming. Cromwell actually had everything going for it, including the historic main street, the 1868 bridge (ideal for bungy-jumping) overlooking the Cromwell Gap and the Cromwell Junction – the famous “meeting of the waters.” Cromwell also had Sargood's Rapid, rated no.1 in the world by whitewater sports enthusiasts, and potentially a whitewater Mecca akin to the great rapids submerged in the Roxburgh Gorge.

Cromwell was destined to become a thriving heritage and adventure tourism centre, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. The development at Pisa Moorings would have occurred around Lowburn, on both sides of the bridge, with vineyards and orchards spreading over that excellent farmland, now submerged. Lowburn would have grown into a very attractive satellite town, bordering the “Hundred Islands” section of the Clutha River.

Today, few people can imagine Cromwell’s lost natural setting, and the iconic Cromwell Gorge, all of which would have become increasingly famous. The Clyde dam submerged those unique assets. Perhaps those people who best know the true cost of the Clyde dam are those who loved the wild and scenic Cromwell Gorge, and who can now scarcely bear to look at the dead reservoir, knowing what is beneath.

It was “The single most monstrous environmental sin over the last 30 years,” said Michael Cullen, in May 2009, citing the Clyde dam as his greatest regret when retiring.

In 1995, ECNZ estimated that 1.46 million cubic metres of mostly Shotover River sediment had entered the Roxburgh reservoir every year before the Clyde dam was built, and that a total of 50 million cubic metres of sediment had accumulated in the reservoir, raising the bed profile “considerably.” Repeated attempts to “flush” out the sediment have had little effect, and have not reversed this process. This is probably because of the “Gates of the Gorge,” a narrow bottleneck just below Alexandra. Some 3% of this load, or 43,800 cubic metres of sediment, still reaches the Roxburgh reservoir, and since 1992, some 744,600 cubic metres has accumulated in the reservoir, particularly in the area adjacent Alexandra, and at the Manuherikia River confluence.

When the Clyde dam was commissioned in 1992, the Kawarau Arm became the dumping ground for the Clutha’s sediment load, which to date amounts to some 25 million cubic metres. The Kawarau Arm already has substantial gravel bars, is becoming difficult to navigate, and it will eventually become a braided mess of crack willows, silver poplar and sycamore much like the Shotover delta. What are the flood issues associated with these sediment beds when they reach the Cromwell Junction and restrict flows down the gorge?

At Alexandra, this bed profile building process has lead directly to a serious flood problem that will require a continuing mitigation commitment on the part of Contact Energy. Meanwhile, this sediment interruption has, since 1956, removed replenishing deposits from coastal beaches, notably at St Kilda and St Clair, in what is fast becoming a costly erosion issue for Dunedin, as this combines with more storms and rising sea levels associated with climate change.

Contact Energy has been very slow to acknowledge responsibility for, or involvement in, these problems. In the case of the Alexandra flooding issue, it took specific directives under the RMA and/or NGO consenting processes to achieve that, as evidenced by Contact Energy’s experience during the Clutha dams’ operating consent process in recent years.

We believe that any further Clutha dams would invite serious hydrological issues. For example, a reservoir extending to Albert Town would interfere with sediment and shingle movement entering from the Hawea and Cardrona Rivers, raising bed profiles and increasing the flood risk at Albert Town. Constricted water at this point has the potential to affect Lake Wanaka, in a manner similar to the way in which the Shotover delta has in the past affected Lake Wakatipu.

Rising water tables would likely present expensive mitigation issues, notably in the Miller’s Flat area, where septic tanks would be negatively impacted.

Dams on the Clutha River cannot escape long-term consequences such as reservoir sediment build-up, increasing flood and instability issues, and eventual decommissioning and river restoration costs, which will be considerable. For example, the removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon storage hydro Dams on the Elwha River, in Washington State, “… is projected to cost over 100% of the estimated cost of building equivalent new hydro-electric power plants.” (Are Hydro Developments Reversible? SPX Consultants NZ Limited, 2008.)[Ref. xiii.]

This SPX Consultants report also notes that financial instruments such as bonds can be used to ensure intergenerational equity. “Section 108A of the Resource Management Act allows for bonds to be required as a condition of consent to cover the cost of any remediation, restoration, removal of structures and monitoring of long-term effects. Bonds have already been applied to private landfills in New Zealand and information on the use of bonds is available in Ministry for the Environment guidelines.”

We consider bonds to ensure intergenerational equity highly relevant to the Clutha, in light of long-term costs, risks and liabilities associated with reservoir sedimentation, flooding, instability, and very expensive decommissioning. Proper intergenerational accounting, doubtless, would make all large-scale hydro dams on the Clutha River uneconomic.

Reversibility costs for large dams are in the order of “35-150% in proportion to the construction cost.” (Reversibility of Renewable Power, SPX Consultants NZ Limited, 2008.)[Ref. xiv.]

In New Zealand, reversibility is more relevant to large-scale hydro than other generation options.

These hidden costs will become more prevalent as time passes. Questions of accountability will be raised, again and again, until the economic weight of these problems comes to bear on policy, in line with the overseas experience. Will Contact Energy face up to these challenges and costs? Does the company wish to incur more?

13. Alternative ‘Renewable’ Energy
New Zealand has some of the most plentiful renewable energy “resources” in the world. The myth that hydroelectricity is our most abundant renewable energy is incorrect. Our tidal and wind capacity is far greater.

Wind: This is one of the world’s fastest growing energy sources. The European Wind Energy Association projects that by the year 2020 the installed capacity of wind turbines could reach 1.2 million MW (nearly twice the current global hydroelectricity capacity).

It is often said that wind power is intermittent, but this is because generation companies measure constancy in terms of weeks and months, rather than in minutes and hours. Using the latter, wind is more reliable than hydro.

Globally, the potential for wind power has been estimated at 40 times the current energy demand, and it is already economically attractive compared to fossil fuels and large-scale hydroelectricity. But to achieve even a fraction of wind power’s potential, enormous amounts of land would be needed, resulting in serious environmental impacts.

At present, electricity generation from wind in New Zealand amounts to only 2.5% of the total. By contrast, Denmark generates 20% of its electricity from wind, and Spain will generate 15% of its electricity from wind by the end of 2010. New wind-to-battery technology, using “flow” batteries and other non-perishing storage, is also set to dramatically increase the efficiency of wind turbines, with fewer turbines producing more energy.

In New Zealand, we’re seeing the old “think big” methodology applied to the new wind technology. We believe that this is a mistake bound to incite opposition, on the grounds of visual, environmental and noise impacts.

Large-scale wind farms, especially in remote locations, requiring new roading and connecting infrastructure, not only have significant negative impacts on natural values, but also have a higher carbon footprint than less isolated wind farms.

We can see some potential for small-scale wind farms built close to where the power is needed, given the buy-in of local communities regarding siting, operation and investment.

However, we believe that for wind power to reach its full potential, it would need to focus offshore.

“The Hywind turbine opens up a new world of opportunities for off-shore wind power, as the turbines could be placed much more freely than before,” said Albert Goller, Siemens Chairman and Managing Director. “Because the turbine is constructed on a floating structure, the high costs associated with foundation works for fixed turbines at depths of more than 30 to 50 metres are eliminated, making this innovation the clear choice for countries that have been looking to establish large scale offshore wind farms.” Siemens’ wind technology currently provides clean energy for some 28,000 homes in Wellington, with 27 Siemens turbines now connected to the grid at Meridian Energy’s West Wind farm. Siemens has more than 6,600 MW of offshore wind installed around the world.[Ref. xv.]

Geothermal: We note Contact Energy’s $100 million investment in the first phase of the Tauhara and the next phase of the plan to grow Contact’s geothermal capacity, with plans for a further $1.5 billion investment in the area. But there are only a limited number of areas that can be developed, and although geothermal is an established technology with about 8,000 MW installed worldwide, it is only about 10% efficient, while being weather dependent because of the cold sink temperature specification constraints. For these reasons, we do not consider geothermal generation to be a long-term solution.

Solar: While sales of solar photovoltaic (PVs) cells are growing fast they still account for only 0.04 percent of the world’s electricity generation. PVs are expensive for grid-connected generation, although their prices are coming down fast as production volumes increase and research intensifies. The European Photovoltaic Industry Association predicts that solar energy could provide a quarter of global electricity demand by 2040. The obvious constraint to solar is that it can generate efficiently only when the sun is shining. The rapid progress in fuel cell technology should help overcome this problem, but metal component shortages will eventually place severe constraints on solar unless this, too, can be overcome.

In the US, energy companies are worried about losing their grip on the US$130 billion residential energy pie, as solar rooftop installations boom across the country. Rather than get on board with rooftop solar, most generating companies have decided to stick to their old ways, building inefficient centralized generation, while attempting to block solar initiatives in what can be described as protectionism.

Meridian’s recent purchase of San Francisco-based Cleantech America, while promising to speed up solar in New Zealand, will not provide us with significant grid alleviation in the medium term. We would much rather see that kind of money going into New Zealand owned initiatives, such as the Cook Strait tidal option.

Tidal: This requires a separate section.

14. Tidal Power and Cook Strait
Cook Strait is one of the most exceptional sources of tidal energy in the world. The conjunction of the Tasman Sea with the Pacific within a confined waterway forms an alternating difference in tidal levels, creating massive tidal currents. Since tidal movements are driven by the gravitational pull of the moon, obviously, they are reliable and predictable, and since water is about 1000 times denser than air, tidal turbines are extremely efficient, or “power dense.”

“If less than 0.1% of the renewable energy in the oceans could be converted to electricity, it would satisfy the present world demand for energy five times over.” (U.K. Marine Foresight Panel, Select Committee on Science and Technology, Seventh Report, 2000.)[Ref. xvi.]

Tidal power has been on the table for a while, but is now progressing quickly, with a variety of site specific technologies. Most New Zealanders have heard about it, but haven’t realized how well it stacks up against other renewables.

In 2007, an Auckland University study looked at whether hydroelectricity was more sustainable than wind, geothermal or tidal power, and they got a surprise. "We were sort of expecting hydro generation to be the winner, but as it turned out tidal came out first.” “Tidal power projects leave their renewable rivals for dead when it comes to carbon footprint, because geothermal plants use stacks of stainless steel, and hydro dams involve huge amounts of energy intensive concrete and steel. Steel and concrete have a lot of carbon emissions associated with their manufacture and construction," (reported Zeb Worth, Comparison of Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Embodied Energy in Four Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies in New Zealand, 2009).[Ref. xvii.]

A marine energy deployment fund has been set up through EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) to bring forward the development of marine energy in New Zealand. Grants have been scheduled in four rounds, from 2008 to 2012, from a total fund of $8 million. The first grant of $1.85 million was awarded to Crest Energy for a tidal stream generator project at the entrance to Kaipara Harbour, north of Auckland, subject to resource consents being obtained. In round two, $760,000 was awarded to the WET-NZ project put forward by Power Projects Ltd and Industrial Research Ltd.

Neptune Power intends to trial their first turbine in an area off Cape Terawhiti, in the optimal tidal zone, the Karori Rip. The Cook Strait is 23km wide and reaches 250m at its deepest. The generating zone is vast and deep, providing a stable and expandable generating environment. Connection to the onshore grid is conveniently close, as are maintenance facilities.

Christchurch scientists David Beach and Chris Bathurst applied for funding in the third round of EECA’s Marine Energy Deployment Fund, but were rejected on the grounds that the first phase is Research and Development, not deployment. They hope to secure private investor funds to enable a turbine to be built and placed 90m deep off Sinclair Head on Wellington's south coast. They plan to be up and running by 2011, but say 2012 is more likely.

It is interesting that the multi-million dollar research project received a resource consent from the Greater Wellington Regional Council in April, having gained the support of every affected party (19 in total) who were required to give their unqualified approval. Altogether, 23 organisations gave the project their approval.

A major advantage is the relatively small up-front cost involved in the Cook Strait infrastructure, of cabling and the sub-sea connection unit. The cost of turbines/moorings is related only to demand. By comparison, dam costs are all up-front.

Although using tidal energy will not directly bring down power prices, it will reduce the need for exposure onto the volatile and expensive spot market during peak winter demand. It will also be reliable, as exactly how much power would be generated, and when, will be known in advance through tide charts, unlike hydro or wind generated power. Guaranteed power production is very attractive to major industrial power consumers, especially when it is also independent of weather and climate effects.

Potential output from Cook Strait is estimated at 17,000 MW, and Foveaux Strait could produce another 5000 MW. Ultimately, the generation cost is estimated to be about 15c/kWH, and output (kW per tonne of material) some 4 times more efficient than wind turbines.

In terms of carbon footprint (“full life cost”), tidal is a clear winner, being less than any other form of renewable energy. (Comparison of Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Embodied Energy in Four Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies in New Zealand, 2009.)[Ref. xviii.] (Note that tidal turbines should not be confused with wave converters, which rate poorly because they use large quantities of steel.)

All sustainable power generation is weather/climate dependent (even geothermal because of the cold sink temperature specification constraint) – except for tidal.

The work being done by Neptune Power encapsulates all the best features of tidal power in an ideal location. We believe that the Cook Strait tidal power development will be the envy of other countries, and we hope that this new technology will remain in New Zealand hands. Denmark has embraced its new wind technology and has sold it to the world. We feel that New Zealand should do the same with tidal power.

15. Distributed Generation
We often hear that decentralization is the future of energy. We believe there should be greater incentives for more distributed generation, from small-scale systems used on-site, or nearby, to generate electricity for homes, farms, businesses and industries. It’s obviously win-win when these generation projects are hooked up to a local distribution network, and in turn connected to the national grid, because of course electricity can flow both ways.

At least 5% of New Zealand's electricity comes from distributed generation, and this could increase markedly if local monopoly lines companies were further encouraged to become competitive retailers. This could be achieved by lifting current restrictions that prevent them retailing more than they can generate from their own renewable energy projects.

Off-grid stand-alone generation systems should also be encouraged.

New Zealand’s energy revolution will require moving from 20th century electricity systems based on large hydro stations and large-scale fossil fuels, to a 21st century energy system based on new renewables, increased decentralization, and massive improvements in the efficiency with which we produce, transport, store and use energy.

16. A Question of Ethics
The public has been inundated with misinformation, recent and historical, and Contact Energy has been acting according to its business model, rather than truly in the “national interest.” Assumptions have been made, much information has been withheld, and the public have been left to dwell on their “preferred option,” in what many people have referred to as a “divide and rule” strategy. Contact Energy has been disingenuous in the way it has presented the four dam proposals. We’ve been given a “Hobson’s choice.” At no time is Option 5 – no further dams, mentioned. The issue has not been presented in the wider context of energy problems and solutions. Poorly informed people cannot make informed decisions.

From the outset, we are asked to believe a projected need for generation at levels determined by producers, after which we are asked to believe that Contact Energy are motivated by the “national interest” when we all know that shareholder profits are the bottom line. Contact Energy follows this with the claim that the Clutha River provides some of the best options for this generation, while neglecting to provide convincing evidence of any of this to the public.

Deceptively, the public has been lead to believe that Contact Energy has a mandate to pursue further dams on the Clutha River, by virtue of the fact that it already controls existing dams at Hawea, Clyde and Roxburgh. How can Contact Energy justify this mandate?

There is a perception that Contact Energy has a legal right to use the Clutha River, whereas no such right exists.

Contact Energy speaks of “the plans that were originally developed for the Upper and Lower Clutha River by Contact's predecessor, the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ),” as if these were tenable plans, whereas they were proposals, and as if these 30+ year old “plans” are ready to proceed given a favourable consenting process.

As can be expected, there has been more than a little “spin” surrounding Contact Energy’s promotion of Clutha River dams during the “conversation.” We have noticed that no mention of “large-scale” dams is made in the media, and yet internally, such as in Contact’s 2008 Annual Report, this wording is prevalent. In that document, reference is made to “at least one - and possibly two - new large-scale hydro projects.” But nowhere in the public “conversation” are “two” large dam projects mentioned.

Much is made of the proposition that “New Zealand needs more energy to power our growing country for the next 100 years and beyond,” with the implication that this need is proven, and that “large-scale hydro” has a roll to play in the 22nd century? Does Contact Energy genuinely believe that a 20th century technology will be indefinitely relevant? Surely this is maladaptive.

Communities have been living in limbo since dam investigations began in 1945. Some 4,400 hectares of land along the Clutha River has been locked up for dam schemes that have come and gone, depriving local communities of other investment, causing property values and community services to decline. Contact Energy has taken up the mantle of its predecessors, and has shrugged this off as part and parcel of “keeping options open.” This has inevitably created a history of distrust, and it has caused genuine suffering for communities, businesses and families.

The dams we already have on the Clutha River are not shining examples of best practice. The river communities have seen their river sacrificed to provide enormous benefits to others, while receiving only minimal or temporary benefits themselves. Many disaffected people have been ignored, and communities still live with dam related risks associated with flooding, landslides and earthquakes, imposed upon them by dam builders who have glibly accepted such risks upon their behalf.

Much noise is made about “A long-term increase in local economic activity through tourism, lakeside developments and the increase in local agricultural output resulting from potential irrigation projects,” but we have long since learned that any benefits from hydro do not outweigh the long-term environmental and human debt we incur.

We do not agree that further dams on the Clutha River can provide us with a better future. We are fully aware that the incentive is weighted on Contact’s side of the benefits equation, and so we naturally say “Beware of energy companies bearing gifts.”

To date, Contact Energy has consulted with Mayors and Councillors etc, not directly with affected communities, and especially not with the people they are proposing to submerge. Contact’s website forum on this issue was tightly moderated, with relatively few people interacting, and yet this still passes as so-called “community consultation.”

Although Contact Energy has stated a wish to consult with communities, this remains difficult because there is a perception that the game is not being played on a level playing-field.

Part of corporate responsibility is serving the public trust, and Contact Energy has shown that it doesn’t value such trust. At every step, the public has been misled. Providing credible information and communication is the only path to trust, or to customer loyalty. Some 40,000 former customers voted with their feet over the debacle about Director’s fees, revealing how out of touch Contact Energy really is with its customer base. Such disregard is also familiar to us.

We are the people of the Clutha River, and so we are naturally the guardians and stewards of the mighty Clutha Mata-Au. We act for and represent our river because we know that we cannot depend on others to do so, and because we hold it to be the one true iconic feature of our region, at the heart of who we are. In good conscience, we cannot further sacrifice this part of ourselves and our land, in as much as we have lost too much already.

Our allegiance is not to shareholders and entrenched interests, but to our identity. In the end, we are defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy.

17. The Many Unique Values of the Clutha River
The Clutha River is an Outstanding Natural Feature. But the health of the river, and its natural values, continue to decline as it is subjected to ever more pressure from invasive species, abstraction, pollution, real estate development, and hydrological dysfunction associated with hydro dam reservoirs.

This decline is consistent with what is occurring elsewhere. Most of our east coast waterways, particularly the braided outwash ones, are now a mass of weeds – broom, gorse, brier, willows; you name it – a problem often associated with the upstream hydro control of flow rates. Exotic aquatic weeds – Elodea, Lagarosiphon, Didymosphenia etc., now abound in many confined waterways, restricting recreational activities.

On the Clutha, below the dams, the riverbanks are scoured daily as the river is ramped up and down according to energy demand, a regime that continues to cause damage to the riverrine ecology. We have seen the Dunstan reservoir quickly become infested with Lagarosiphon, while the Roxburgh reservoir and the Kawarau Arm have become sediment dumping grounds – homes for the invasive species already mentioned.

Many of New Zealand’s fresh water species are negatively impacted by dams, because almost all of them are migratory (unlike most fresh water species found in the rest of the world). As such, they migrate up rivers in the course of their life cycle i.e. species of whitebait and eels. The Hawea Long-Finned Eel is almost extinct because it cannot migrate as it once did along the free-flowing Clutha.

Contact Energy states a preference for further dams on rivers “already modified” by dams, but this is particularly untrue of the Upper Clutha River, which is one of the most unspoiled, and least modified large wild and scenic rivers in New Zealand. It has characteristics that can rightly be claimed as unique in the world. It ranks among the swiftest of rivers anywhere, and it’s distinctive, clear turquoise waters are produced by a highly rare upland lake filtering process, decidedly atypical of glacial rivers which are normally discoloured to some degree by blue-grey rock flour. Other extraordinary features of the Upper Clutha River include a series of swift water ox-bows called the “Snake” in the first reaches – ox-bows are normally gently-flowing lower reach meanders, and a high volume switchback known as the “Devil’s Nook” at Luggate – one of the world’s rarest hydrological river features. The glacial terrace flights of the Upper Clutha River corridor also rate among the best such examples in New Zealand, and when we look more closely we find a range of unusual plants and invertebrate animals, signifying that this river environment is different from anywhere else.

The Upper Clutha River corridor is home to many important plant populations, including pillow native daphne (Pimelea pulvinaris), desert broom (Carmichaelia petriei), cushions (Raoulia), heath plants such as Leucopogon muscosus, and in more sheltered areas yellow-flowered Corokia cotoneaster, and the tree daisy Olearia odorata. Among the many native insects in the Upper Clutha, beetles are prominent. At least two are found only in the valley, including an undescribed chrysomelid in the genus Allocharis.

So important are these species that a 165 hectare Scientific Reserve has been proposed at Long Gully Flat on the true left of the river above the Maori Gorge between Luggate and Queensberry.

Numerous gold-rush era heritage sites are found along the upper and lower river. The newly established Reko’s Point Conservation Area beside the river near Luggate is an example of one such site, but many more remain virtually untouched.

On the Lower Clutha River, the Rongahere Gorge has nationally significant conservation values. The forest type is rare in the east of the South Island, having remained unchanged for 12,000 years. Birch Island / Moa Nui (1km long and covering seven hectares) is an ecological 'Noah's Ark' in the Upper Rongahere Gorge. It became a protected area under the Conservation Act in 2001, primarily because it has a nationally significant population of invertebrates. In 1995, scientists discovered several new species, including a Peripatus, a genus of Onychophoran, warranting priority for conservation owing to their status as living fossils, being unchanged in 570 million years. Scientists also discovered rare and undescribed beetles, moths, snails and springtails. Birch Island has what is considered to be the most intact ecosystems of its kind in New Zealand.

The recreation and tourism values of the Clutha River are well-known. There is no other river in Otago, perhaps New Zealand, which is so well suited to such a wide range of river activities.

We do not agree with Contact’s interpretation of a reservoir as a “lake with recreational opportunities,” because Otago is already well supplied with real lakes. It has been pointed out that many New Zealanders have boats, but any observer in the summer period knows that most of these are jetboats designed for rivers. There is nothing more attractive to a jetboat enthusiast than a jetboat friendly river, such as the Clutha. Processions of them can be seen jetboating the Upper Clutha between Cromwell and Wanaka, even in the winter.

River tourism is particularly well developed on the upper river, with kayaking, rafting, jetboating and fly-fishing operators, while commercial activity on the lower river includes jetboating, guided-fishing, and kayak schools.

Of course, recreation and tourism are not limited to water-based activities. We are seeing increasing numbers of mountain-bikers and walkers using new trails.

18. Why River Trails Lead to a Better Future
There are several existing river trails along the Clutha River that are extremely popular. Local community groups are working to join up the existing trails to create a contiguous trail from Wanaka to the Pacific. There is a strong economic incentive for doing so, as the Otago Central Rail Trail experience reveals.

We believe that Contact Energy’s suggestion, that river trails be relocated along reservoirs, doesn’t provide an economically viable alternative. By definition, a river trail needs a free-flowing river, and we are already having to compromise on that because of the two existing dams. Realistically a reservoir trail is not exactly marketable.

This ‘Mighty Clutha River Trail’ is well underway, with years of planning work already done. The Clutha Gold Trail Trust is working on a new trail from Roxburgh to Lawrence, while the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust is working on a new trail from Albert Town to Clyde. The trail section from Albert Town to Luggate is already partly operating and scheduled for completion within 6 months.

The Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group is a network of these river groups and other river stakeholders, providing a framework for a contiguous trail within a vision for a regional park along the river corridor.

Investment in trail development will amount to many millions of dollars, and this investment will return to the river communities many times over, as trail-based tourism generates new jobs and services in towns that have been starved of tourism traffic. This investment and these economic benefits must be protected, and not eroded by uncertainty over further dams. Walking and cycling will continue to grow in popularity, and we believe that the Mighty Clutha River Trail will become one of New Zealand’s most important and economically valuable trails.

We are adamant that river trail development, linking all the river communities, will provide all of us with a better economic future. A mini hydro building boom would provide temporary benefits, and some negotiated trade-offs, but such advantages by no means outweigh the long-term disadvantages.

What price a river?

The Clutha River is at the heart of our Otago identity. It cannot be replaced. It is our responsibility, our past, our future, and it is not for sale.

19. Summary

The energy issue stems from the unsustainable pursuit of growth without a proper environmental accounting process to protect our future. All our so-called resources, especially oil, are in terminal decline, as are our rivers. Change will be difficult because our decision-makers, in politics and business, are accustomed to the existing failing paradigms of economics and governance. Contact Energy’s profit-driven business model is part of this wider problem.
Energy sector restructuring is needed because the current system encourages growth and profit, which reduces the producer’s incentive to invest in energy conservation, and demand-side management strategies, such as shifting energy usage from on-peak to off-peak periods. Customers have a cost incentive to save energy, but producers have a profit incentive to sell more.
Soaring power prices cannot be addressed by building new generation, because history shows that the consumer is likely to fund this additional generation through higher power prices, which in turn drive hyper-inflation unless the unit price of electricity can be subsidised by industrial consumers.
Energy efficiency measures, from producer to consumer, can significantly reduce or negate the need for new generation capacity. In most cases, demand reductions can be achieved at less cost than constructing new generation.
Otago-Southland has 7% of the country’s population, and 20% of its generation capacity. This generation percentage is set to increase with the construction of Kaiwera Downs and Mahinerangi Wind Farms, and potentially Project Hayes. Otago exports an average of 70% of its power. Generation closer to the end-user is more energy efficient, more equitable, and costs less to supply.
Large dams are not clean and green because they have a full life carbon footprint that is 2 to 6 times larger than an average wind farm (another poor option), cause serious environmental and community impacts, degrade ecosystem integrity, submerge productive land, and impose long-term costs, risks and liabilities relating to reservoir sedimentation, flooding, instability and eventual decommissioning. If these full life costs were included from the outset, few if any large dams would be economically viable.
Large hydro (over 10MW) is no longer defined as a true “renewable” energy by many organisations, because the full life negative impacts of large hydro outweigh the renewable benefits in terms of being environmentally safe and sustainable.
More than 260 organisations have signed on to the International Rivers declaration to exclude large hydro, over 10 MW, from renewable energy initiatives in the carbon offset market. Contact Energy’s “renewables” portfolio should move away from large hydro to seek maximum advantage from the emerging carbon market.
Because of long-term costs and liabilities associated with reservoir sedimentation, flooding, instability and very expensive decommissioning, financial mechanisms such as bonds as described in Section 108A of the RMA, to ensure intergenerational equity, are highly relevant to the Clutha. Proper intergenerational accounting is likely to make all large-scale hydro dam plans on the Clutha River uneconomic.
If energy demand grows as predicted, we would need the equivalent of one Luggate dam (86 MW) every 6 months, or one Tuapeka dam (350 MW) every 25 months, or another Clyde dam (432 MW) every 29 months. This is unsustainable. Clearly a long-term solution is needed.
New Zealand’s security of supply is threatened by our heavy reliance on large hydro because climate change is causing more unreliable rainfall patterns. NIWA has identified large-scale pattern variations that pose a significant risk for hydro storage. This has already been financially devastating to Contact Energy.
Neptune Power’s Cook Strait marine power development is the single largest, and the most promising “new” renewable energy available to New Zealand. It has very large expansion potential (17,000 MW), gives a guaranteed weather-independent output, and has a relatively low material cost. This innovative new energy technology offers substantial opportunities in a quickly changing world.
The Clutha River corridor is home to many unique and endangered species. However, ecosystem integrity is declining because of invasive species, abstraction, pollution, real estate development, and hydrological dysfunction associated with hydro dam reservoirs.
The outstanding natural, recreational, tourism, heritage and cultural values of the Clutha River cannot be replaced. There is no other river in Otago, perhaps New Zealand, which is so well suited to such a wide range of river activities, both recreational and commercial, including kayaking, rafting, jetboating, canoeing, fly-fishing, triathlons, kayak schools, and river trail walking, mountain-biking and cycling.
River communities are working on river trails, which will provide long-term economic benefits without destroying the free-flowing river. Investment in trails will amount to many millions of dollars, and this investment will return to the river communities many times over, as trail-based tourism generates new jobs and services. This investment and these economic benefits must be protected.

20. Conclusion
As we said at the outset, we have found it necessary to examine the reasons for this investigation of large hydro options, because the energy issue concerns all New Zealanders. In the process, we have noted what we believe are the shortcomings of Contact Energy’s energy agenda, and we have pointed out some examples of misinformation. But we have not done this to begin a round of recriminations, since that would serve no purpose. We have taken this path to find solutions, to define what needs to be done and by whom.

This issue is about all of us – the future of New Zealand, and beyond. We all have a part to play.

Contact Energy has a leading part, but is not yet showing innovative leadership.

For all New Zealanders, failure to adapt to the challenges we face will incur many costs, but taking a lead will both improve our society and bring new opportunities for business.

If Contact Energy moved its portfolio toward the best and most promising renewable solutions, business and societal benefits would follow. The phrase “in the national interest” would no longer ring hollow, and the “green” credibility of Contact Energy would grow in the eyes of New Zealanders.

On the Clutha question we are united. We are for Option 5 – no further dams, and as such our decision is final.

21. References
i. Strong Sustainability for New Zealand report, May 2009, SANZ Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.phase2.org/documents/SSFNZ_web_310809.pdf

ii. Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas USA, ASPOUSA, Peak Oil News
www.aspousa.org/?dl_id=301 PDF

iii. Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak, By Professor Kenneth S. Deffeyes
http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/ Author’s website

iv. Joint Operating Environment report, US Department of Defense, Nov25, 2008
www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2008/JOE2008.pdf
(PDF recently taken offline but available from Clutha River Forum)

v. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, EECA
http://www.eeca.govt.nz/efficient-and-renewable-energy/energy-efficiency-and-conservation Website

vi. Transpower Systems Operator
http://www.systemoperator.co.nz/

vii. World Commission on Dams report 2000
http://www.dams.org/report/

viii. World Commission on Dams report 2000
http://www.dams.org/report/

ix. National Institute of Water & Atmosphere Research, NIWA
http://www.niwa.co.nz/news-and-publications/publications/all/wa/13-4/climate

x. Strong Sustainability for New Zealand report, May 2009, SANZ Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.phase2.org/documents/SSFNZ_web_310809.pdf

xi. Comparison of Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Embodied Energy in Four Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies in New Zealand, 2009
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es900125e

xii. Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2006
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/postpn268.pdf

xiii. Are Hydro Developments Reversible? SPX Consultants NZ Limited, 2008
http://www.spx.co.nz/docs/Reversibility_of_Hydro.pdf

xiv. Reversibility of Renewable Power, SPX Consultants NZ Limited, 2008
http://www.spx.co.nz/docs/Reversibility_of_Renewable_Power.pdf

xv. Siemens Australia and New Zealand
http://aunz.siemens.com/NewsCentre/2009/Pages/20091407_%20Siemensleadingtheworldinrenewabletechnologies.aspx

xvi. U.K. Marine Foresight Panel, Select Committee on Science and Technology, Seventh Report, 2000
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200001/cmselect/cmsctech/291/29105.htm

xvii. Tidal Power Rides Wave of Popularity, TVNZ News, 2007
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1474541

xviii. Comparison of Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Embodied Energy in Four Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies in New Zealand, 2009
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es900125e

By Forum Coordinator, Lewis Verduyn, and co-edited by the Forum.

Save Beaumont

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:53:00 +0000

Beaumont Flat

Beaumont is a small town nestled in the foothills of Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. Located in a fertile valley beside the Clutha River, Beaumont is the gateway to Central Otago, and is 106 kms from the city of Dunedin. The town is on the Beaumont Flat, between the Beaumont Gorge (upriver) and the Rongahere Gorge (downriver).

The Beaumont community has lived with the threat of hydro-electric inundation for decades. In the mid-1990s a petition against a proposed hydro-electric dam that would flood Beaumont was signed by 26,000 people, and the project was finally "shelved."

In 1996, Contact Energy inherited these controversial plans and numerous properties in the area that their predecessor, Electrocorp, had bought up. The land in question consists of 4,400 hectares, including two commercial properties, 15 residential sections, nine farms, 15 lifestyle blocks and 43 "small properties". These properties are situated between Millers Flat and Tuapeka Mouth, including properties in the township of Beaumont. Contact Energy has refused to sell back this land, effectively stifling local investment. Some would describe this as a tactic to weaken opposition to proposed dams, in an area starved of economic development.

Clutha River at Beaumont

The proposed dam near the Tuapeka Mouth would inundate the Rongahere Gorge, Beaumont Flat, and the Beaumont Gorge, drowning a total of 3,400 hectares of land. The reservoir would be 50 metres deep and extend some 50kms up the valley to Miller's Flat. It would be approximately a third larger than the Dunstan Reservoir.

Beaumont township

The settlement of Beaumont was originally named Dunkeld by the surveyor John Turnbull Thomson, but the nearby Beaumont Burn was more familiar to residents of the area who continued to go to “the Beaumont” or the “Beaumont Ferry.” The location afforded a natural river crossing and the first ferry punt was established in the early 1860’s, to serve the influx of gold-miners during the Otago gold-rush. The settlement expanded to meet the needs of the miners.

The first bridge across the Clutha at Beaumont was opened in 1875, and around the same time the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel and a store was completed nearby. A high toll was charged for crossing the bridge, so the ferry continued to operate successfully in opposition. The great flood of 1878, however, promptly wrecked most punts and bridges on the entire Clutha River. Debris from the Roxburgh and Miller’s Flat bridges took out the Beaumont bridge, all of which later took out the Balclutha bridge. The ferry was re-instated and remained the only means of crossing at Beaumont for nearly a decade. The present bridge was opened in 1887.

From 1863 to 1939 steamboats plied the Clutha River between Balclutha and Beaumont, which was at the head of navigation for trading vessels and a staging post for freight and travellers heading inland. The wreck of the steamboat Matau, which operated between 1882 and 1901, is still in the river near the Clydevale Station below the Tuapeka Punt.

The town’s location at the beginning of the Beaumont Gorge meant that it boomed during construction of the Beaumont to Miller’s Flat Railway which opened in 1925.

The Duke of Edinburgh Hotel was replaced in 1897 by an impressive two-storey hotel, and this in turn was replaced by the present Beaumont Hotel in the 1930’s. Located beside State Highway 8 near the historic Beaumont Bridge, the hotel has always been the social centre of the community, and a favourite meeting place for travellers. Today, river users, such as school groups partaking in kayak training on the nearby Clutha River, regularly stay at the hotel's camp-ground, which also serves as a caravan park for holiday-makers.

Beaumont Bridge

Opened on March 3rd, 1887, the Beaumont Bridge was the first '4 iron' bridge to be completed in New Zealand. It has three 35m and two 17.8m wrought iron trusses supported on concrete piers. It was constructed by John Anderson of Christchurch, and it is the longest and first single span structure of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. It has recently been closed for maintenance, which has been lacking for many years. Authorities have been reluctant to allocate funds for bridge maintenance or replacement because of the lingering threat of inundation.

Beaumont and fertile farmland (Racecourse on left)

Beaumont above Rongahere Gorge

Beaumont Gorge and township

If the massive Tuapeka dam was built at Tuapeka Mouth, the reservoir would consume the Rongahere Gorge, Beaumont Flat, and the Beaumont Gorge, extending some 50-60kms up to Miller's Flat. The reservoir would be 50 metres above the existing river level at the dam site and some 30 metres above the town of Beaumont, where about fifty homes, the Beaumont Hotel, the community hall, the cemetery, and many fertile farms would be lost. Hundreds of people would be displaced.

In total, the reservoir would inundate 3,400 hectares of land, destroying around 180 farms. Some of the region's most fertile land would be lost, including 200 hectares of prime grazing in the Beaumont Flat, approximately 250 hectares of forestry and 800 hectares of native beech forest in the Rongahere Gorge, and some 70 hectares of orchards at Miller's Flat and Beaumont.

Nine kilometres of State Highway 8 would be submerged, as would the roads along the Clutha River in the Rongahere and Beaumont Gorges. State Highway 8, the Rongahere Road, and the Beaumont Gorge road / trail, would need to be re-routed. The Benger Bridge would need to be replaced, and a new 2.2km causeway would be needed across the reservoir at Beaumont in 30m of water, where three earthquake faultlines meet. Contact Energy describes this monumental engineering task simply as the "construction of a new bridge for State Highway 8 to cross the reservoir at Beaumont".

Save The Rongahere Gorge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Birch Island and the Upper Rongahere Gorge

Rongahere Gorge, photo Dr Barrie J Wills

The Rongahere Gorge is the only section of the Clutha River that still retains its rare mixed beech forest, virtually unchanged in 12,000 years. Obviously, it has significant conservation value, with unique stands of mature red beech, mixed with rare mountain and black beech. The red beech are in their southern most location. The rongahere mixed beech forest provides a nationally important refuge for threatened native species.

Birch Island / Moa Nui Reserve

Birch Island / Moa Nui is an ecological 'Noah's Ark'. This 1km long island, covering seven hectares, has remained predator free, isolated in the Upper Rongahere Gorge. In 1995, scientists investigating the invertebrate fauna on the island discovered several new species, and in 2001 the island became a protected area under the Conservation Act. Birch Island has what is considered to be the most intact ecosystem of its kind in New Zealand.

Rongahere Mixed Beech Forest

The Rongahere native river corridor is home to some of our rarest and most endangered species, including important populations of Karearea / NZ Falcon, Mohua / Yellowhead (Mohoua ochrocephala), Yellow-Crested Parakeet / Karariki, South Island Robin, and various invertebrates.

Karearea / NZ Falcon, photo Craig McKenzie

Sightings of Karearea in the Rongahere confirm that the gorge is a favoured habitat for this highly endangered bird. There are no comprehensive figures for the number of Karearea surviving today, though Wingspan estimates no more than 1500 pairs in total. Although they have been fully protected for over 30 years their numbers are still so critically low that they are classified as a 'threatened' species - the second highest conservation priority. Karearea appear on the NZ Twenty Dollar note, but are disappearing from our environment.

South Island Robin, photo Craig McKenzie

Yellow-Crowned Parakeet / Karariki, photo Ian McHenry

Yellowhead / Mohua

Lower Rongahere Gorge

If a dam was built near Tuapeka Mouth, the entire Rongahere Gorge would be inundated, and the reservoir would extend as far as Miller's Flat, also destroying the entire Beaumont Gorge. The unique biodiversity of the Rongahere Gorge would be lost forever, along with 3,400 hectares of land, including fertile farmland and orchards, and hundreds of homes.

Save The Beaumont Gorge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:10:00 +0000

Lower Beaumont Gorge and Millennium Trail

The secluded beauty of the Beaumont Gorge is one of the region's hidden treasures. The 9 km Beaumont Millennium Track runs from Beaumont, where SH8 joins the Clutha River, towards Millers Flat. It was formed on the old Clarksville-Roxburgh railway line which was pulled up in 1968. The Clutha Gold Trail Trust is developing a Roxburgh to Lawrence cycling and walking trail that includes this part of the river.

Beaumont Gorge at Talla Burn, photo Dr Barrie J Wills

Lower Beaumont Gorge

The remote character of the Beaumont Gorge provides a pleasant environment for recreation, and for tourists getting "off the beaten track." School groups and clubs use this section of the river for kayak training.

Beaumont Gorge and Trail

Horseshoe Bend (Footbridge left, Lonely Graves upper right)

Horseshoe Bend Footbridge, photo courtesy Borealnz, Flickr

Crossing Horseshoe Bend Bridge, photo Dr Barrie J Wills

The Horseshoe Bend Bridge walkway is 8 kms south of Miller's Flat. The bridge was built in 1913 to get sheep and school pupils across the Clutha. It was designed by John Edie (Jnr.), the Tuapeka County Engineer, and is a 70.2m span suspension bridge, with 9.3m high timber towers. It has been fully restored by the local community, providing walking and cycle access, from the main highway, to the gorge and the historic Lonely Graves, one of the most important sites on the entire Clutha River.

Lonely Graves Historic Reserve, threatened by dams?

Upper Beaumont Gorge, Island Block below Miller's Flat

Either of the two proposed dams, at Tuapeka Mouth or Beaumont, would destroy this area, taking away not only farmland, orchards and homes, but the very heritage and identity of the local people, who have been living with the threat of dams for several decades. The cemetery at Beaumont would be inundated by a Tuapeka dam, which would also make the Miller's Flat Cemetery unusable because of groundwater problems, as would a dam at Beaumont.

Save The Maori Gorge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Maori Gorge, Queensberry

At Queensberry, the Upper Clutha enters the Maori Gorge as it turns south-east toward the Lindis Crossing and later Cromwell. A grade-3 rapid, Smokin' Joe's, marks the head of the gorge, and a flying-fox still spans the narrowest section. A picnic area on the Tarras side of the gorge provides access to an historic gold-dredge trail heading up along the river. This short, hidden, rock-lined gorge is one the gems of the Queensberry area.

Maori Gorge Rafters

Smokin' Joe's Rapid, Maori Gorge entrance

Maori Gorge, Queensberry

Save The Upper Clutha

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Upper Clutha and Albert Town, near Wanaka

Albert Town is 4 kms downriver from Lake Wanaka, and just a few minutes from the resort town of Wanaka. The proposed Luggate dam would destroy the Upper Clutha River, forming a reservoir from Luggate to the Cardrona River confluence at Albert Town.

Upper Clutha River, looking towards Wanaka, photo Lewis Verduyn

The Upper Clutha Valley has been described as one of the most beautitul valleys in the world. Located between the Southern Alps in the west, and the Central Otago semi-desert in the east, it is a unique environment of ancient glacial terraces divided by the first reaches of the spectacular Clutha River. This river environment is remarkably unspoiled, and is enjoyed by countless thousands of people, especialy in the summer months when the river corridor is frequented by kayakers, triathletes, fishermen (especially fly-fishermen), rafters, jetboaters, pinickers, and trail-users either walking or on mountain-bikes.

Tourist operators regularly guide tourists on the river, fly-fishing (drift-fishing by raft), kayaking (the only guided whitewater kayaking in the South Island), eco rafting (New Zealand's original eco rafting operator), and jetboating. Fly-fishing guides also take clients along the river trails to stalk impressive brown and rainbow trout in crystal clear pools.

Halliday's Bluff View, Albert Town, photo Lewis Verduyn

Lake Wanaka and the first section of the Clutha River to the Cardrona River confluence (pictured entering here from the left) is protected by the Lake Wanaka Preservation Act (1973). This protection came about after a long but successful struggle by a few Wanaka residents to stop the lake being dammed. Their campaign was called HOWL (Hands Off Wanaka Lake). Today's residents owe their beautiful, natural lake to these passionate individuals. The proposed dam at Luggate would flood the river corridor to approximately the Cardrona River confluence at Albert Town. Flows out of the Cardrona River, the Hawea River, and Lake Wanaka would be slowed when the lakes and rivers are high. This, potentially, poses a serious flood risk to Wanaka and Albert Town.

Reko's Point Conservation Area, near Luggate, photo Lewis Verduyn

Reko's Point Conservation Area spans a large area of "The Snake" near Luggate. The area gets it name from Reko, the Maori Chief who together with Kaikoura guided Nathaniel Chalmers inland in 1853. Chalmers was the first European to see the Upper Clutha, or Mata-Au. When he became ill near Lake Hawea, he was guided down the Clutha on a mokihi, or Maori raft, navigating the largest rapids in New Zealand en route to the coast, a journey he never forgot.

Today, the Reko's Point track provides easy walking access to this special area. The native ecology is remarkably well preserved, with mature stands of Kanuka, many unique river corridor cushion-fields, and abundant birdlife, especially Fantail (Piwakawaka), who use Reko's Conservation Area as a breeding sanctuary in this often harsh environment.

Luggate Red Bridge

Luggate Red Bridge from Lonely Planet

The Luggate 'Grandview Bridge' is a local icon listed highly in the Queenstown Lakes District Council's Historic Register. It was opened on October 28, 1915, and has been described as "one of the most attractively proportioned steel truss road bridges in the country." It is 103.7 metres long, and features a 61 metre Baltimore through truss, another 30.5m truss and a 12.2m rolled steel joist end span. It is threatened by the proposed Luggate dam.

Devil's Nook, Luggate

The most dramatic river feature on the Upper Clutha is undoubtedly the remarkable Devil's Nook, or Devil's Elbow. Here, the entire force of the river flows directly against a rock bluff, forming powerful whirlpools, as the river changes direction. This is thought to be the most extreme high volume switchback in the world. It is a popular area for locals who like to walk, picnic, fish, boat and swim in the area (in a few secluded and safe swimming-holes).

Heaven's Gate

The Upper Clutha River corridor has extraordinary natural, recreational and tourism values, especially important to the local communities of Wanaka and Luggate. The proposed Queensberry and Luggate dams would convert the wild Upper Clutha River into two lifeless reservoirs.

Fly Fishing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:16:00 +0000

Upper Clutha Brown Trout

The Clutha River is an excellent fishery providing ready access to countless fly-fishing and spinning reaches. Abundant stocks of wild brown and rainbow trout and land-locked salmon, thrive along the length of the Clutha. The lower river has good populations of sea run and resident brown trout, and also has salmon spawning runs from January to April.

Fly-fishing on the Upper Clutha

Many guided fishing options are available, including guided raft-fishing on both the Upper and Lower Clutha.

Beaumont Brown Trout

Fishing in the Lower Rongahere

Upper Clutha Brown from drift-boat

Fly Fishermen with Upper Clutha Brown

Kayaking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:24:00 +0000

Kayak Training on the Clutha River, Beaumont

The Clutha River provides excellent Grade 2-3 conditions for recreational kayakers, and for kayak training. School groups and clubs from all over the region, from Queenstown to Dunedin, use many sections of the river.

Kayaks, Beaumont Camping Ground

Kayakers at Beaumont Camping Ground

Kayaking on the Upper Clutha

The Upper Clutha is cherished among kayakers, who relish some of the best medium grade high volume whitewater for kayaking in New Zealand. Kayakers paddle the upper reaches independently or on guided trips, almost daily through the summer months. School groups of 30-40 students regulary train with instructors.

Kayakers at Reko's Point, Upper Clutha

Triathletes regularly train on the Clutha River in preparation for multisport events, held on the Clutha and other rivers.

Kayaking the Pioneer Rapid, Upper Clutha

Canoeing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:31:00 +0000

Canoests in open 'Canadian' canoes enjoy the highest volume medium grade water in New Zealand on the Clutha River, which provides ideal conditions for these boats. Individuals and groups in Canadian canoes navigate both the the Upper and Lower Clutha, usually in the summer months, often camping en route.

Canoeing in the Beaumont Gorge

Canadian canoe

Navigating the Beaumont Rapids 'Rock Garden'

Beaumont Rapids

Canoeists running a chute

Stop laughing and paddle

Resting and drying out

Rafting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:42:00 +0000

Recreational and commercial rafting occurs on the entire Clutha River. Tens of thousands of tourists and New Zealanders have rafted the Upper Clutha since commercial rafting began on this remarkably unspoiled section of wild river in the 1970's.

The remaining (undammed sections) of the Clutha River are all Grade 2-3 whitewater, which is suitable for most people when rafting on guided trips. This allows excellent access to people who might otherwise never experience rafting on a high volume river. The Clutha's many unique qualities, including its turquoise water (glacial water filtered by upland lakes), and its magnificent riverscapes, combine to make it an outstanding natural feature and an extremely valuable recreational and tourism asset.

New Zealand's largest rapids lie buried in silt beneath the Roxburgh reservoir, dammed in 1956, and what has been ranked as the worl'd best high volume rapid, Sargoods, near Cromwell, was lost when the Cromwell and lower Kawarau Gorges were flooded behind the Clyde dam in 1993. Any of Contact Energy's proposed dams would further destroy what little remains of the wild Clutha River.

Rafting at the Devil's Elbow, Luggate

Racecourse Rapid in the Upper Clutha 'Snake'

Family rafting on the Upper Clutha

French Polynesian family on a raft trip

Smokin' Joe's Rapid, Maori Gorge

Rafters at Heaven's Gate, Luggate

Jet Boating

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:59:00 +0000

Recreational Jet Boating

New Zealander's value their easy access to rivers, and this is especially true of recreational jet boaters, who converge on their favourite rivers whenever possible.

Recreational jet boating near Luggate

Recreational jet boaters frequent the Clutha River throughout the year, but especially in the summer months when thousands of holiday-makers bring their boats to Central Otago to enjoy this unique environment. Many jet boaters pause to relax on the remote riverbanks, picnicking and fishing.

Tourist Jet Boating

Commercial jet boats operate on the Upper and Lower Clutha, providing unique experiences on New Zealand's highest volume river, the 'Mighty Clutha.'

Clutha River Jet

Beaumont Jet

Jet Boat Racing

Jet boats are a part of Kiwi culture. Participants and enthusiasts from all over New Zealand converge on some of the best jet boat racing rivers in the world to experience events during the racing season. The Clutha River is an integral leg on most of these events.

New Zealand Jeb Boat Marathon

New Zealand Jet Boat Racing Championships
Annual event orgainised by the New Zealand Jet Boat Association.

Central Rivers Race, Jet Boating Otago
Jet Boating Otago holds its Central Rivers Race on the Matukituki, Clutha, Dart, Kawarau/Shotover Rivers, with Leg 3 : Clutha River, Lake Wanaka Outlet Camp ramp to Bendigo ramp on Lake Dunstan.

World Jet Boat Marathon
Gold Ridge Hotel 2005

Triathlons

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:04:00 +0000

Clutha Classic Kayak Race

Goldrush Multisport
Stage 9: 39km kayak on the green waters of the Upper Clutha. A chance to give the legs a rest on this classic river paddle. Long easy stretches gives way to the occasional grade 2 rapids, "Pioneer Rapid", just upstream of the Luggate Bridge containing the largest waves, but the Devils Elbow 3km down stream of the bridge commands the most respect with most competitors taking the chicken route at the left hand eddy rather than taking on the bluff and boily waters of the elbow. 2 and 1/4 to 2 and 3/4 hrs depending on river flows is a good time on this stage.

Clutha Classic Kayak Race
The Outside Sports Clutha Classic is the major fundraiser for the Southern Lakes Multisport Club who have been running the race for the last 3 years. It is a must do race for those doing C2C or the Goldrush and gives paddlers a chance to check out their fitness and skills ahead of these races. The race which is handicapped has 2 courses, the Classic from the Wanaka foreshore to Lindis River and the Sprint which is virtually the Goldrush paddle course.

First-timer's perspective: "I approach many difficulties giggling with a slight nervous smile, and the thing I love about completing the Clutha is each time I finish another Clutha experience , I am smiling with adrenalin and the thought of how much bloody fun it was!" "The Clutha is a great piece of water with many fun bumpy bits that continue to develop my paddling skills."

Quote Pip Riches, happily learning to paddle grade 2. "The event has had an increase in paddlers every year with athletes making Central Otago their holiday destination for the xmas holidays enjoying many of the local events as part of their C2C build up. The nature of the Clutha River means the race can still be run at higher flows of 300plus cumecs with its long fast flatter sections and a chance to get "up close and personnel" with rapids such as the "Devils Elbow."

Race director Bill Godsall said the feed back from the event has been great and paddlers are recognizing the Clutha Classic as a chance to tackle high volume water, and join in the Central Otago holiday atmosphere. Godsall said that the 2008 race was the first time he had seen large groups of spectators lined up at all the challenging rapids to enjoy the spectacle.

Ecology

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:56:00 +0000

Otago is a region with unique ecological environments, in New Zealand and the world. Changing climate zones span changing landscapes from the Alpine Divide to the Pacific Ocean. Central Otago, in its own right, is a region that stands apart, having conditions supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else on earth.

Central Otago is a semi-desert, with extreme seasonality and diverse landscapes. Outwardly, the region appears barren, but on closer inspection, this harsh environment is teeming with as much bio-diversity as a forest, but on a much smaller scale. Many of these species are endemic to Otago. Some are only found in isolated areas of Central Otago, which could be described as a landscape sprinkled with ecological 'islands.' Climate and geography drive this diversity.

Midst this unusual landscape flows one of the most extraordinary rivers on the planet, the Clutha. Ranked among the swiftest rivers world-wide, it has perhaps the rarest water type of any river. The Clutha's distinctive, clear turquoise waters are born of cloudy glacial and snow-melt waters filtered in upland lakes - a particularly rare quality. The Clutha is the highest volume river in New Zealand, and remarkably, it flows through the driest region of the country.

The Clutha River corridor is, effectively, an ecological corridor traversing the entire climate spectrum of Otago. Every section of the Clutha River corridor reflects a specialised set of conditions, and many of the species within each section are adapted specifically to that section, and are often isolated there.

Two of these ecologically unique river environments are the Rongahere Gorge, and the Upper Clutha glacial terrace corridor. Both are threatened by Contact Energy dams.

RONGAHERE GORGE

Rongahere Gorge, photo Dr Barrie J Wills

The Rongahere forest type is rare in the east of the South Island. It is the only such forest along the Clutha River corridor, and it has remained virtually unchanged for 12,000 years. A mix of Mountain, Red and Silver Beech grows on the alluvial terraces of the valley floor, interspersed with Kahikatea and Matai. The forest understorey includes small-leaved Caprosma colensoi, C. rotundafolia, Rohutu Neomyrtus pedunculata, numerous ferns and several sedges. Wineberry Aristotelia serrata, Pepper tree Psuedowinteria colorata, Marbleleaf Carpodetus serratus, and Kotukutuku Fuschia escorticata are abundant on streamsides or in gaps in the forest canopy. The rare riparium forest shrub Teucridium parvifolium is also found in the Rongahere at its southern limit.

The below photos of forest species were taken in the Rongahere Gorge along the Clutha River. All of this forest is threatened by the proposed Tuapeka dam.

Rongahere Gorge Mixed Beech Forest

Mature Mountain Beech

Mature Mountain Beech canopy

Pseudowintera Colorata

Fuchsia Perscandens Vine

Fuchsia Perscandens flowers

Rubus Cissioides flowers

Clematis Paniculata

Birch Island / Mao Nui

Birch Island / Moa Nui Reserve

Birch Island / Moa Nui is an ecological 'Noah's Ark' in the Upper Rongahere Gorge. This 1km long island, covering seven hectares, became a protected area under the Conservation Act in 2001. The Otago Conservation Board unanimously called for Birch Island to be given reserve status as early as 1994. The Department of Conservation began a long and complex process of securing protection after Contact Energy announced in 1996 that it had deferred development plans indefinitely. But the land still remained without protection when the National Party lost power in the 1999 election. The Otago Conservation Board strongly supported Birch Island being brought under the Conservation Act, and Land Information New Zealand also supported the change.

Protection status was awarded primarily because Birch Island has a nationally significant population of invertebrates, surviving in their isolated refuge, ostensibly because the island has remained predator free. In 1995, scientists investigating the invertebrate fauna on the island discovered several new species, including a Peripatus, a genus of Onychophoran. The Onychophora is an animal somewhat like a permanent caterpillar, part insect and worm. They have been suggested as warranting priority for conservation owing to their status as living fossils, being unchanged in 570 million years. Due to their predatory nature they also have potential as an indicator species in the assessment of biodiversity. Scientists also discovered unusual beetles, moths, snails and springtails. Birch Island has what is considered to be the most intact ecosystem of its kind in New Zealand.

Endangered Native Birds

The Rongahere native river corridor is home to some of New Zealand's rarest and most endangered native birds, including important populations of Karearea / NZ Falcon, South Island Robin, Yellow-Crested Parakeet / Karariki, and Mohua / Yellowhead (Mohoua ochrocephala).

Karearea / NZ Falcon, photo Craig McKenzie

South Island Robin, photo Craig McKenzie

Yellow-Crowned Parakeet / Karariki, photo Ian McHenry

Yellowhead / Mohua

The Mohua / Yellowhead is also known as the bush canary because it has a delightful song of rich flute notes. A hole nester, they are especially vulnerable to rats and stoats. There are a very few places where Mohua persist on the mainland. Many people believe that Contact Energy should be sponsoring the protection of endangered species like the Mohua, not threatening their habitat.

The entire Rongahere Gorge would be lost if a dam was built at Tuapeka Mouth, destroying this unique ecological treasure forever.

UPPER CLUTHA CORRIDOR

Contact Energy states a preference for further dams on rivers “already modified” by dams, but this is particularly untrue of the Upper Clutha River, which is one of the most unspoiled, and least modified large wild and scenic rivers in New Zealand. It has characteristics that can rightly be claimed as unique in the world. It ranks among the swiftest of rivers anywhere, and it’s distinctive, clear turquoise waters are produced by a highly rare upland lake filtering process, decidedly atypical of glacial rivers which are normally discoloured to some degree by blue-grey rock flour.

The Turquoise Waters of the Upper Clutha

Other extraordinary features of the Upper Clutha River include a series of swift water ox-bows called the “Snake” in the first reaches – ox-bows are normally gently-flowing lower reach meanders, and a high volume switchback known as the “Devil’s Nook” at Luggate – one of the world’s rarest hydrological river features.

The Devil's Nook Switchback

The glacial terrace flights of the Upper Clutha River corridor also rate among the best such examples in New Zealand, and when we look more closely we find a range of unusual plants and invertebrate animals, signifying that this river environment is different from anywhere else.

The Upper Clutha River corridor is home to many important plant populations, including pillow native daphne (Pimelea pulvinaris), desert broom (Carmichaelia petriei), cushions (Raoulia), heath plants such as Leucopogon muscosus, and in more sheltered areas yellow-flowered Corokia cotoneaster, and the tree daisy Olearia odorata. Among the many native insects in the Upper Clutha, beetles are prominent. At least two are found only in the valley, including an undescribed chrysomelid in the genus Allocharis.

The Rare Pimelea Pulvinaris

So important are these species that a 165 hectare Scientific Reserve has been proposed at Long Gully Flat on the true left of the river above the Maori Gorge between Luggate and Queensberry.

Numerous gold-rush era heritage sites are found along the upper and lower river. The newly established Reko’s Point Conservation Area beside the river near Luggate is an example of one such site, but many more remain virtually untouched.

Reko's Point Conservation Area in the 'Snake'

Heritage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:57:00 +0000

The Clutha River is at the heart of the story of Otago. Its gold shaped the history of the region. Its very existance shaped the pattern of settlement and even the hardy qualities of the people who grew up familiar with its rugged beauty, and its forceful nature.

The river corridor embraces New Zealand’s largest river. Since the earliest Maori explorations inland along the river Maori named Mata-Au (swift surface current), the river has been the heartblood of Otago, along which people, gold, and hope, has flowed. Sites of special historical, ecological and cultural interest are plentiful. More than half of the sites of special interest in Otago, detailed in the 1998 Otago Conservation Strategy, are within the Clutha Mata-Au corridor.

The Maori Pathfinders
Maori explorers, of Ngai Tahu and Kai Tahu ki Otago, followed the Mata-Au inland, through a wild and untouched land, hundreds of years before Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand. Their seasonal explorations yielded prized argillite stone, fibres from flax, from the fronds of the cabbage tree and from the leaves of the Celmisia mountain daisy. They also came for foods such as Moa, eel, duck and pigeon. In time, river campsites and seasonal inland settlements became established. The Clutha Mata-Au corridor, itself, is an historic Maori trail, that over the years has given up many artefacts relating to Maori activity, such as argillite and Moa bone artefacts.

Moa-hunting beside the Clutha River

The First Europeans
Nathaniel Chalmers, a young twenty-three old in search of good sheep country, was the first European to ascend the river into the Upper Clutha in 1853. He was guided by two old Maoris, Chief Reko and Kaikoura, paying them in advance with a three-legged iron pot. The old men were veterans of the river route, such that when Nathaniel fell ill, they simply constructed a mokihi (raft), and guided him down the river, fearlessly running New Zealand's largest rapids in the Cromwell and Roxburgh Gorges. Explorer-surveyor John Turnbull Thompson was the first European to chart the course of the river and record the mountains around its Lake Wanaka source, painting a panoramic scene of the mountains, lakes and the upper river from the summit of Mt Grandview in 1857.

Upper Clutha, by John Turnbull Thompson, 1857

The Golden Lure
The gold-rush, beginning June of 1861, brought sudden and dramatic changes to the river corridor. In the years that followed, countless thousands explored the inland reaches of the Clutha Mata-Au waterway, which became the second-richest gold-bearing river system in the world. This rich history is built into the identity of Otago, with the Clutha at the centre, an essential and constantly admired natural legacy.

Clutha River gold-miners

The Methodical Chinese
The Chinese gold-miners were mostly from Han, and although they had chanced their future to get here, they were not inclined to chase the easiest pickings, preferring instead to apply a rigorous methodical approach to gold extraction, often in areas by-passed or already worked over by Europeans. The Lower and Upper Clutha corridor bears literally dozens of herring-bone tailings sites, worked meticulously by hand, mostly for minimal reward. Well-preserved herring-bone sites at the Devil's Nook and Reko's Point Conservation Area, on the upper river, would be lost if the river was dammed.

Natural Wonders
The Clutha River is one of the world’s most physically diverse waterways. From its alpine source, the largest volume river in New Zealand flows directly into the driest region. Throughout its dramatic course, the riverscapes change repeatedly, passing among magnificent geographic features, some of which have already been inundated behind dams. The upper river runs between unique glacial terrace flights, and at Luggate the river meets one of the most rare river features in the world – the incredible Devil’s Elbow switchback, thought to be the most extreme switchback on a high volume river anywhere.

Devil's Elbow, Luggate, photo Arno Gasteiger

At Cromwell, the truly extraordinary ‘Junction’ lies beneath the inundated gorge. Paintings and photographs form an invaluable record of this ‘meeting of the waters', and of the impressive Cromwell ‘Gap’ Rapid that once thrilled sightseers from atop the spectacular Junction bridge.

Cromwell Junction, destroyed by the Clyde dam in 1993

Few people now remember the remarkable Roxburgh Gorge. The Golden Falls and the Molynuex Falls were the largest rapids in New Zealand, and the incredible Island Basin was a towering natural wonder. Unfortunately, these roaring, shadowy rapids and extensive gold-workings and dwellings, were inundated behind the Roxburgh Dam in 1956.

Roxburgh Gorge, Island Basin, lost in 1956

Ferries, Bridges and Steamboats
Maori river travellers knew where and how to cross the river, but for the first Europeans a river crossing was a perilous exercise, claiming more than a few lives. The powerful currents of the Clutha have reputedly claimed more lives than any other river in New Zealand. The majority of these victims were gold-miners during the years from 1861 to around 1910 when gold-dredging declined.

Ferries were initially crude improvisations, such as wagon decks, but soon a series of punts were put on the river by enterprising individuals keen to monopolise the shortest route to the latest gold-strike. Eventually, some 25 punts operated on the river. The last surviving punt remains in operation at Tuapeka Mouth.

Bridge building was a monumental task. The great flood of 1878 wrecked most of the punts and bridges on the entire Clutha River. A bridge in the Maori Gorge was swept away the night before it was due to open. The flying-fox that replaced it is still there. Debris from the Roxburgh and Miller’s Flat bridges took out the Beaumont bridge, all of which later took out the Balclutha bridge. The surviving Beaumont, Luggate and Horseshoe Bend bridges all have high heritage values, and all are threatened by dams.

From 1863 to 1939 steamboats plied the Clutha River between Balclutha and Beaumont, which was at the head of navigation for trading vessels. The wreck of the steamboat Matau, which operated between 1882 and 1901, is still in the river near the Clydevale Station below the Tuapeka Punt.

Beaumont Bridge, threatened by a Tuapeka dam

Luggate Red Bridge, threatened by a Luggate dam

Monuments and Legends
The history of the Clutha is marked by monuments commemorating past events, and by lengends telling the human story of the river. The pioneer graveyard beside the river at Alberttown’s Graveyard Bend, provides a sobering record of the drownings of children and adults nearby. The Hartley and Reilly monument in the Cromwell Gorge records the site of the richest gold-strike on the river, and in the Beaumont Gorge, the Lonely Graves site has inspired the long running legend of Somebody’s Darling.

Lonely Graves, Beaumont Gorge, threatened by dams?

In a peaceful location, 8 kms downriver from Miller's Flat in the Beaumont Gorge, the Lonely Graves are a poignant reminder of the harsh reality of the gold-rush. During the winter of 1865, according to folklore, William Rigney, a gold-miner, found the body of a handsome young man washed up beside the river at the Horseshoe Bend Diggings with a shivering dog beside the body. He buried the man nearby and on a wooden headboard he burned "Somebody's Darling Lies Buried Here". A marble headstone was erected in 1903 by the residents of the district with the assistance of a public subscription. The original headboard was encased in glass against the headstone.

Rigney died in 1912 and was buried there with a similar headstone that reads 'Here Lies the Body of William Rigney, The Man Who Buried "Somebody's Darling".' Historians now believe that Rigney's association with "Somebody's Darling" began some time after the young man was buried, when Rigney constructed a manuka fence to protect the grave, and made the headboard. He subsequently cared for the grave faithfully until he himself died. Some researchers believe that "Somebody's Darling" was Charles Alms, a Nevis Valley butcher or farm-hand, but no proof exists. Legend records that Rigney also cared for the dog, until it died years later, when he buried it beside its former master.

The Gifts of Homage
Over the years, more than gold has lured the people of the region to the banks of the Clutha. The spectacular beauty and majesty of the river itself has inspired artists and writers since the arrival of the first explorers. Artwork, books and poems tell an enduring story of homage, revealing a heartfelt love and respect for a river that has featured so personally in the lives of so many. Janet Frame, perhaps New Zealand’s most acclaimed novelist, in her autobiography, wrote “… linked to heaven and light by the slender rainbow that shimmered above its waters.” She chose to call herself Janet Clutha in the last years of her life as a way of preserving her anonymity yet proclaiming an identity.

Some of the earliest artwork and writings focusing on the Clutha provide an invaluable historical record. Vincent Pike’s novel “Wild Will Enderby” (1873), for example, yields a colourful account of the times. Born of the gold-rush landscape, it has been considered the first truly New Zealand novel.

‘The cultural heritage of the river has permeated special occasions and the everyday through prose, poetry, song, art and treasures of the past. They reflect its role in our lives collectively and in our individual lives. They are evidence of the continuities and changes that have given us and this place its unique character. They tell of the intimate relationship between the river and the people. So many writers, painters, photographers and musicians have represented the river or the landscape of the river’s catchment that in another way it flows across the country in many commonplace artistic adornments of households and public buildings across the country – and in particular in this province.’ ~ Bill Dacker, Historian.

First-hand experience produced enchanting gifts such as “And Then The River Rose”, by A.W., in 1897. This is the second verse:

I was camped on such a beach –
Lets see, in sixty three –
An’ long Tom Brown, of whom you’ve heard,
Was mates along wi’ me.
For weeks an’ weeks it froze an’ froze,
An’ down the river went;
That we should strike it rich just there
I’d a presentiment.
We sunk a paddock by the stream,
We touched the golden stuff;
The gold was in the dirt we got,
Like raisins in a duff.
What did it go to every dish?
A pound weight I suppose.
We’d a’ been as rich as we could wish,
But then the river rose.

These many gifts, past and present, serve to remind us how fortunate we are to live in the company of this magnificent river. But the greatest treasure of the Clutha Mata-Au is, of course, the river itself.

Our heritage is not for sale to Contact Energy.

Tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:58:00 +0000

Beaumont Jet Tours

Beaumont Jet

Beaumont Jet Tours allow you to experience New Zealand’s Jet Boating Safari on the mighty Clutha River. You will see abundant bird life, fishing areas, majestic mountains, open farmlands, and unspoilt native bush, in one of the most picturesque areas in the world.

Lakeland Adventures

Clutha River Jet

Jet boat the mighty Clutha River in a New Zealand designed and built boat, skimming over rocks and sandbars, powering through rapids and giant pressure waves on New Zealand's largest river. Along the way, the driver will stop for that once in a lifetime 'snap shot' or perhaps spot some of the huge trout lurking in the deep pools.

Alpine Kayak Guides

Alpine Kayak Guides

Alpine Kayak Guides, offer fun, scenic and safe kayaking trips on the Upper Clutha River from October to April. Experience first hand the thrill of kayaking from a relaxed introduction to a full-on day of paddling. Alpine Kayak Guides can give you what you want. Our experienced guides will show you the wonders of this spectacular region and you will come away with an experience that is altogether unforgettable.

Alpine Fishing Guides
Drift-fishing on the gin clear waters of this beautiful part of the South Island has to be seen to be believed. On our float trips we can easily sight trout , pull up into an eddy and reel in a New Zealand brown or rainbow trout.

Alpine Fishing Guides

Client comments:
"Hi Greg, Many thanks for the phenomenal day on the Clutha on Thursday. You showed me the value of fishing with a professional guide and I consequently learned a good deal from our day of fishing. Attached you will find a photo of the first fish of the day. Take care and stay in touch. Randy Turney, Oregon , USA."

"Dear Greg, Just a message to say thank you for the wonderful day's drift-fishing on the Clutha.It was a great day's raft fishing experience the likes of which I have never done before. Many thanks for your safe rafting, and expert guidance and trout spotting. Four browns and four rainbows to 4.5lbs and four dropped was a great day out. I particularly enjoyed the brown that took the Kiwi-style green caddis after refusing the dries, and the rainbow in the fast run at lunchtime. Cheers. Tight lines! Dave Collins, UK."

Pioneer Rafting
We are often told that the Clutha Mata-Au is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Our eco rafting adventures let you experience both the charm of the semi-wilderness environment and the fun of the easy whitewater.

Pioneer Rafting

Page under construction ...

Clutha Hydro Timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:31:00 +0000

• 1945. Beginning of investigations into large hydro-electric development on the Clutha River.
• 1948. Construction of the Roxburgh dam commenced.
• 1956. Roxburgh dam commissioned.
• 1959. Lake Hawea control dam commissioned.
• 1963. Extensive large hydro-dam investigations of the Clutha Basin from the lakes to the sea.
• 1965. First Meeting held with Beaumont residents regarding a Tuapeka dam.
• 1968. Commissioner of Works convenes an Interdepartmental Committee to investigate hydro-electric development and affects on the region. 30 proposals considered, 20 of these were costed.
• 1971. Interdepartmental Committee delivers a 165-page report to the Commissioner of Works, summarizing the effects of 6 proposals for hydro-electric development in the Upper Clutha Valley, and 4 proposals below Roxburgh. Options included both 'High' and 'Low' dams. Scheme 'A' was a 'High' dam at Lowburn with a 103.6m head which would submerge most of the Clutha Valley up to Luggate, Tarras and Albert Town, ponding water to Lake Wanaka but with Cromwell Borough unaffected. Scheme 'B' was a 'High' dam in the Cromwell Gorge with a 116.7m head which would flood the entire Upper Clutha Valley up to the level of Lake Wanaka; Cromwell, Lowburn, Luggate, Tarras and parts of Bannockburn and Albert Town would be submerged. Among other options was a dam at Clyde known as DG3, which would submerge sections of State Highway 8 in the Cromwell Gorge and most of the orchards, and UC9 which would flood the Lowburn Flats largely within the river channels.
• 1972. Liaison Committee was set up, comprising local authority and government representatives, disbanding in 1973.
• 1973. Lake Wanaka Preservation Act passed, after a long campaign by Hands Off Wanaka Lake (HOWL) to prevent a dam at the Lake Wanaka Outlet. The legislation includes protection of Lake Wanaka and the Clutha River to the Cardrona River confluence.
• 1973. Clutha Valley Development Commission established, required to report to the Ministry of Works and Development by 30 Sept. 1974. By agreement, submission date extended to 30 Nov. 1974. Commission studied a number of proposals.
• 1974, May. Clutha Valley Development Commission releases interim report, with recommended dam sites and water levels, collectively known as Scheme 'H', with a total installed capacity of 1003 MW, and a maximum peak capacity of 1490 MW.
• 1976. Construction on Clyde dam begins.
• 1980’s Electricity Corporation of NZ (ECNZ) uses Public Works Act to seize critical land needed for further hydro schemes at Tuapeka, Luggate and Queensberry. Owners receive low government valuations due to existing hydro uncertainty.
• 1982. Clyde dam workers discovered an active faultline directly under the dam and spillways, the ‘River Channel Fault’. The dam was subsequently re-designed to include a ‘slip-joint’ to accommodate lateral slip movement (sideways), however it was later revealed by DSIR geotechnical scientist Gerald Lensen that the fault was a tensional expansion fault (apart), rendering the slip-joint ineffective in a major quake.
• 1982. Landowners in the Cromwell Gorge and Lowburn appealed to the High Court citing that the Government did not have a legal Water Right, and won their case.
• 1982. The National Government, under Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, enacted the Clutha Development (Clyde Dam) Empowering Act 1982, controversially over-throwing the High Court decision and a subsequent Planning Tribunal decision against the Government (Annan v National Water and Soil Conservation Authority and Minister of Energy, Gilmore v National Water and Soil Conservation Authority and Minister of Energy), suspending the individual’s legal rights enshrined in Westminster law, and shocking New Zealanders.
• 1986. Artesian water was discovered in what was previously considered the dry landslides in the Cromwell Gorge, signaling serious issues with reservoir safety.
• 1989. An intense investigation began into landslide issues in the Cromwell Gorge involving an international team of up to 40 geologists.
• 1990. Serious gorge stabilization issues were admitted, and it was announced that the project could not be commissioned without another $337 million being spent on landslide mitigation to reduce, but not remove the risks.
• 1991. ECNZ announces Tuapeka dam is preferred option.
• 1992. Clyde dam commissioned.
• 1993. Clyde dam complete and reservoir filled.
• 1993. Tupeka dam investigation accelerates, and land purchases increase totaling $12 million.
• 1994. Dam opposition group Friends of Beaumont formed.
• 1995. ECNZ undertakes field investigations in the Upper Clutha as part of its ‘ongoing study’ into dam options, including the Luggate and Queensberry schemes.
• 1995. November. Contact Energy was incorporated on 8 November 1995 and became a state owned enterprise on 18 November 1995.
• 1996. Contact Energy commenced operations on 1 February 1996, acquiring assets from Electricity Corporation of New Zealand with a payment of $1.6 billion.
• 1999. Contact Energy was sold in a public offering of shares, with 40% purchased by Edison Mission Energy (EME) as cornerstone shareholder. EME subsequently increased its shareholding to 51.2%. Contact Energy defers Tuapeka dam indefinitely, but refuses to sell back land.
• 2001. Birch Island gains protected status under the Conservation Act.
• 2004. Australian company Origin Energy acquires controlling 51.2% shareholding of Contact Energy from Edison Mission Energy (EME) for NZ$1,675 million or $5.67 per share.
• 2008. Contact Energy announces that it intends to re-visit previous dam plans.
• 2009, April. Contact Energy releases proposals for four dams.
• 2009. Dam opposition groups form at Beaumont and Wanaka. The Clutha River Forum emerges as a river-length alliance of river and conservations groups opposed to further 'think big' dams, campaigning for 'Option 5 - No More Dams.'
• 2012. Contact Energy annouces that all dam plans are on the 'back burner'.
• 2012, 1 May. Contant Energy formally withdraws all dam plans, and begins a review of the management and ownership of its land holdings near the river, covering some 4,400 hectares.

What People Say

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:09:00 +0000

NZ HERALD April 2009

Should a new hydro-electric dam be built on the Clutha River?

Kingi (Auckland)
I think the source of energy is off shore in the sea and not inshore in the rivers and lakes.

Moe's (Half Moon Bay)
What bothers me the most in this debate is that there are two types of anti dam people, the first are people that have become so out of touch that they would prefer humanity to go back to the stone age the other type has an agenda for example to artificially create a shortage then hike the price up like the Enron?s of this world, maybe they have shares in a uranium mine or wind farms.

To compete and progress in the world New Zealand needs cheap renewable electricity to benefit the whole country not just a few lazy hippies and rich private businesses concerns. Power to the poeple put it to the vote.

mountie (Mt Maunganui)
I think Moe of (half moon bay) probably needs to get out of the city once in a while and see some of the country he is so keen to see drowned. I dont understand also how it can truly be renewable when in some cases ancient rain forest is lost forever. One day we will run out of rivers to dam and what then? We will then have to bite bullet and do somthing else, and by then our beautifull river valleys will be mostly be a memory. I think questions need to be asked about the intended lifespan of these dams and what happens when they start to crumble?

Kingi (Auckland)
I would rather use less electricity than build a new hydro dam on the Clutha River. Tampering with natural forces as strong as the Clutha can cause reverse effects. Key should extend on insulation, implementing solar, wind and water tanks to every new and existing househould and industry.

Keith Wellington (Wellington City)
NZ needs to get serious about using existing resources more efficiently. 1 million houses, many uninsulated, using resistance elements for comfort and water heating impose a huge load on the grid. Heat pumps for both applications could reduce the load by up to 70%. Solar water heating also has a place but is not the panacea suppliers claim. A recent conversion of a small dairy farm to heat reclaimed from its chiller condenser for hot water requirements the milking shed has seen its electricity use drop 75%.

sand (Auckland)
No. Don't mess up the river ecosystem any further. Nuclear is not "clean, green" energy, but uses a lot of water, as well as producing radioactive waste. Uranium mining is very polluting. Nuclear plants are also darn ugly. Wind turbines are getting sleeker and more efficient all the time, and we have lots of wind in NZ. We should be initiating solar power as well.

Richard Prosser (Rangiora)
Beaumont is just being selfish, I mean really, why shouldn't your town be flooded to make power for Aucklanders? Do you really think those people up there want to have to look at some other kind of power station, maybe one in their own back yard?

Same goes for Waikato farmers, how self-centred you are, fancy not wanting to have giant pylons buzzing over your houses and frying your childrens' brains, just how else are we going to get Otago's power to Auckland's consumers?

If only we'd had the foresight to build that one single nuclear station on the Kaipara back in the sixties we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. Then again, if Auckland could grow up and plant its own wind farms - where it can see them - we wouldn't be having it either.

City of Sails, with all that wind to be harvested? C'mon Auckland, get with the programme. The rest of us have held your hand long enough. Ugly blots on the landscape aren't just for the rest of the country, you know.

Ricardo (Papakura)
Absolutely. Clean and green. Ooops, someone will tell me I'm wrong for sure. Get over yourselves, hydro is the cleanest around. (Editorial Note: The lifecycle carbon footprint of hydropower is actually 2-6 larger than that of windpower. The hydropower industry has successfully promoted this myth by ignoring construction, hydrological and decommissioning issues.) Then we may be able to turn off or use less the coal stations over winter.

Rodney (Howick)
You can't store wind, but you can store water.
Editorial Note: Contact Energy have admitted that there would be minimal "storage" gains because any new dam would have a "run of the river" regime, similar to the existing dams. A Tuapeka dam would create the largest operating range of around 2m, which equates to approximately 72 hrs of generation. Lake Hawea remains the only effective storage for any new dam on the Clutha. Another dam only allows for more versitility in times of generation each day.

Realist (Auckland)
I think there should be a lot more hydro dams, and why not on the Clutha. Dams are the best way to get electricity, and we are going to need a lot more of it when we move to electric cars. Anyway, lakes can be great recreation areas and some are a lot prettier than the rivers that were there before.

Wiremu (Wadestown)
The Clutha is a mighty river, with twice the water of the next biggest Kiwi river (the Waitaki). The Clutha could make enough power for everybody in the country to sit around in warmth while they watch the evening's Reality shows from Auckland. We used to live by the Clutha and pick Moorpark apricots while the river roared and smoked like a dragon far below us , but they built the Clyde dam. Now you can just hear the wind in an empty valley.

Kiwi Oz (New South Wales)
No more dams on the Clutha please, and for goodness sake let's not even consider the nuclear choice. NZ is a windy country, and despite my reservations about wind farms being located in pristine wilderness areas, wind farms seem a sensible alernative. And locating power sources closer to the major population centres makes economic sense - a "power miles" concept perhaps.

Kirk (New South Wales)
Hydro is much greener than wind power - and reliable, acts as a base load, allows effective power "storage", takes up less space than a wind farm capable of producing a fraction of the power, is kinder to wildlife, doesn't make wind noise etc etc. Try taking off your anti-Nat blinkers.
Editorial Note: See above editorial notes regarding the 'greeness' of hydropower and the mythical storage.

Shazbot Nanu Nanu (Auckland)
If you follow renewable energy, you know that dams are not being considered a serious option anymore (except for China perhaps).

There are some obvious reasons such as the environmental impact, initial capital outlay, use of fresh water among others.

However, one of the main reasons not to build dams is the likely impact of climate change on fresh water. With climate change, the pattern and redistribution of fresh water gives no guarantee that the dam will be able to provide the intended max output. This is a major reason dams are projected to have a significantly reduced % of the overall energy picture within the US.

The claims against wind not being appropriate for base load are actually antiquted these days. There have been many models created that show distribution of wind farms across a large geograhpic region combined with solar, wave and other renewables is an effective solution to the base load problem. Also storage is being improved significantly with many options being considered to handle the excess capacity to be used in times of low output.

Nuclear is an option however NZ would need its own Yucca Mtn for waste and it would like take 15years minimum to build.

Pedrovsky (Gisborne)
Yes please. hydro is 2nd only to nuclear in terms of 'good' generation. Wind is a waste of time. What is so bad with hydro.ruin the environment?! can also be read as provide nice lakes.

Deal to Crims (Rotorua)
Yes they should build the dam for a couple of reasons:
Price is a factor of supply and demand - the more supply the lower the price of electricity.

For the same reason we should also build nuclear power stations which are just as clean and product at far lower cost per KW/hr

The recreational facilities created by hydro-dams are equally or valuable than the original river - for example Lake Karapiro is now a world class venue for rowing, powerboat racing and waterskiing championships. Dams can enhance the environment and provide recreational facility.

We need electricity, we need recreational facilities, we need dams and we need nuclear at some point in the future.
Editorial Note: Are these improved 'recreational facilities' for all the fly fishermen, kayakers, canoeists, rafters, spinner-fishermen, river jetboaters, the tourist operators on the Clutha, and all the NZ'ers and tourists who enjoy this scarce wild river recreational resource. Why reduce that resource? If you prefer flat water recreation, there seems to a good supply of lakes already, especially in the 'Queenstown Lakes District.'

Povi Masima (Huapai)
Why allow Contact to destroy the local environment and then overcharge us for electricity? We've been down this track - time to look at alternatives - wind, tidal, solar - plenty of options.

Ian (Glen Eden)
Why oh why do we still persist in pursuing the dam option for generating power, when wind is by far the best and most abundant form of power generation know to humankind!

As long as we have these idiots running and planning our future power generation (including the current Minister, who's govt refuses to think outside the square on any issue), then we will continue to build these power plants that are outdated and destroy our clean, green image.

At least with wind-farms the whole world can see we are thinking of the planet.

Lady Barbie Girl (Epsom)
Yeah, why not, because anything that can improve New Zealand's third world power grit would be an enormous improvement.

AJ (Churton Park)
No no no to more dams on the clutha. Stop destroying beautiful NZ. I am for wind turbines and live in ohariu valley in Wellington where a wind turbine farm is planned. Unlike most locals I am for the turbines as I believe this is lesser of two evils. NZ needs some way to produce power and wind is the best resource we have to provide this - so lets use it!

Mikel D (United Kingdom)
I have just spent a week around the coast of Cornwall, UK and noticed in the distance many wind turbines. It didn't look so bad. As I had remembered some time ago the the people of the Wellington Coast were complaining about the environmental visual impact these turbines would create.

I believe there is some but take in account what you are generating for free with out destroying hundreds of aches of New Zealand landscape. I remember as a child going through this wonderful pristine landscape along the Clutha River. This area was productive with Orchards along its river banks not only that the landscape was extraordinary. Remember that?

Cromwell Junction, destroyed by the Clyde dam in 1993

Some years later I saw on hand the total annihilation of this landscape. Then the last visit The Dam. Not a tree in sight? So NZ are you considering this again upon this landscape. Why. Get those turbines up along the coasts and the ranges and stop this senseless annihilation of our wonderful country.

adam (Kingsland)
Most people are ignorant of the fact that the best cherries in the world are from a few small orchards on the Clutha at Millers Flat. I would rather face a return to the dark ages before drowning those orchards and losing that fruit.

The Cromwell dam completely wiped out the best apricots in the world and one of the best drives in NZ. (ask anyone who remembers driving the old Cromwell gorge) People from all over the world like to visit Central Otago because it's beautiful and it tastes good. Why destroy the beauty of NZ so the ugly parts can prosper?

The whole world already has strip malls, light industrial estates, suburbs and factories. More people should visit Central Otago to see for themselves why four more dams would take out one of the best parts of our country.

Parks White (Laingholm)
"Dam the dam!", cried the fantail, as it flew into, it flew into the sky. To give power to the people all this beauty has to die.

fed up (Titirangi)
Interesting that no mention is being made of solar energy. We could simply make it mandatory that all new buildings are required to include Photo-Voltaic arrays on the roof. The number of pannels to be determined by the roof size for example. Pannels to make up say a minimum of 10% of the size of the roof?

The raw materials involved in construction of PV Arrays are pretty cheap - mainly silicon - and if cost is an issue, we could simply set up an SOE to manufacture basic but efficient pannels. Existing retailers can meet the market or offer value added solutions if they wish.

Every day, even cloudy ones, we are simply wasting a perfectly green, free energy source. Just imagine what the impact would be if every home had solar arrays. Even a small array can supply a good portion of a homes energy needs for a year. Can you imagine what it would do to our power supply if house hold power usage dropped by say 50%?

JonnyW (Roseneath, Wellington City)
As baffled said - why should you folks have an opinion that counts? People don't read the Herald down south. Otago already produces ten times more power than it uses - and yet now has at least half a dozen more wind farms or dams being promoted. The only remotely substantive justification provided for this slaughtering of Otago's landscapes is 'the national interest' - and we get accused of being NIMBYS? And somehow the idea you might power your own region with wind and hydro seems to be p***ing in the wind!?

Introduce a subsidy for retrofitting existing buildings and we could greatly reduce our dependence on other power sources.

Man in a Hat (Titirangi)
Hydro is good. Build it.

Tommy (Tauranga)
Yes, get on with it, as another has said.

ella girl (Auckland)
I'm sure that we wouldn't need to build a damn dam if we actually thought about the way we used electrity. Most of it is wasted. Make it illegal to bring in electronics that don't turn themselves off after a certain time. Make is blinkin expensive for businesses to leave their office lights on for no good reason when there isn't anyone in the building at night. at least supporting insulating people's houses is a start.and someone start an environmental party and let's all stop pretending the greenies aren't red.

Rodney (Howick)
Well duh! Everyone knows that dams store water. We also know that wind isn't a reliable source of energy. Neither for that matter is rain water. However more dams will have the capacity to store more water which would simply have run off into the sea. Ultimately it goes into the sea anyway, so why not have an electricity turbine generating power by the water on its way out?
Editorial Note: This storage is a myth. Contact Energy have admitted that there would be minimal "storage" gains because any new dam would have a "run of the river" regime, similar to the existing dams. A Tuapeka dam would create the largest operating range of around 2m, which equates to approximately 72 hrs of generation. Lake Hawea remains the only effective storage for any new dam on the Clutha. Another dam only allows for more versitility in times of generation each day.

Kirk (New South Wales)
Just get on with it and build a new dam. Hydro dams provide a great big "battery" for effective power storage - something wind generation will never do. And in a much smaller physical area than the masses of wind farms needed to acheive the same power output (on windy days).
Editorial Note: Please see previous comment regarding storage. Also, if you covered the whole of the proposed Tuapeka reservoir area (3400 h) with photovoltaic cells [solar power panels] you would get 3400 megawatts, or more than ten times the amount of power (320 mw) from a dam at Tuapeka Mouth.

Cartman (Auckland)
I think we should complete all the projects. Then get rid of gas power stations.

JB (Pakuranga)
Finally a long term solution to several of the problems this country faces. Not only will the building of the new dam(s) create more electricity, it will create hundreds of new jobs in the construction industry but also the local community would benefit for years to come. When Lake Benmore was created above the Clyde Dam, they flooded old Cromwell and created a whole new town. Now there is a thriving fishing and tourisim industry there. The alternitives to hydro power are not worth contemplating (wind power that is seasonal or god forbid.nuclear). Bring on the new dams!
Editorial Note: Do you actually know where Lake Benmore is? Please find out where people live before you decide to drown their homes and land.

bruce greig (Rangiora)
This is the best thing ive heard to happen for new zealand's future in 10 years. common sense [instead of the ugly wind farms]

Aklr In Exile (Napier)
It would be great to see more power generation in the North Island. On the other hand, who has the most clout- a North Island Iwi or a bunch of South Island Farmers?
Come on Contact, let's place power generation where it's needed. That is arable land you want to flood and someday, we just might need food.

I was gutted when the wind farm proposal was refused because it was on an Iwi's sacred mountain- that definition applies to nearly all windy, exposed mountains in the North Island. Now a precedent has been set, more wanton destruction of river valleys is on the cards.

Kaley (Canada)
The best option is for NZ to educate itself before jumping on any pro/anti-dam bandwagon.

As a young NZ born-and-bred Civil Engineer (currently undertaking specialist studies in dam engineering), I continue to be amazed at the lack of intelligence exhibited by those making the most noise when it comes to issues such as this. It is imperative that momentum is spurred by fact and reason.

By all means, have an opinion, but make sure you make every effort to weigh the true pros and cons before deciding (and acting) on your views.

The public consultation process is incredibly powerful. Please, do your homework. Search for the facts both for and against any 'case' you may consider and ultimately, make your voices heard.

Think twice, act once. It's the future of our country.

Rodney (Howick)
To those people who advocate wind-farms, consider this. You can store water but not wind. The only decision is where to store your water. We want power but not dams. You can't have it both ways.
Editorial Note: Again, even Contact Energy disagrees with you about the old storage argument on the Clutha, where existimg and proposed dams are 'run of the river.'

wally (Marlborough Sounds)
The Clutha River is there for us to destroy in the name of profits and waste, right Contact?

Otagoite (Opoho)
Instead of permanently flooding good land and destroying communities in Otago, let's have more small to medium scale windfarms in the North Island.

Things have changed since the last "Think Big" projects were built on the Clutha. Smaller scale wind generation is now a real option for generating energy close to where it's used. If industries and North Island residents want more electricity they should deal with the consequences of this in their own backyards rather than expecting Otago people to do this yet again.

Sign The Petition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:52:00 +0000

A petition has been started calling for a halt to dam plans on the Clutha River, addressed to John Key, the Minister of Tourism, and also to Contact Energy.

The petition is in two parts; the Upper Clutha and the Lower Clutha, and they will soon be distributed together, so that dam opponents can sign both.

Currently, the Upper Clutha petition is available to be signed at:

- Wanaka i-Site on the Wanaka lakefront
- Mitre-10
- Wanaka Community Centre

Please express your opposition to Clutha dam plans, by signing soon!

Media Releases

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:20:00 +0000

NZ Dam Safety Depends on 'Blind Faith'
04 August 2010

The Clutha River Forum, an alliance of environmental groups opposed to further dams on the Clutha River, is concerned that New Zealand’s long-awaited Dam Safety Scheme has been deferred.

The scheme was due to come into effect on 1 July 2010, but the Minister of Building and Construction, Maurice Williamson, says it will be delayed for two years following a report earlier this year which found that the scheme imposed rules and compliance costs on dam owners ‘out of proportion to the risks’ imposed on New Zealanders.

“Unlike most other developed countries, New Zealand does not have a ‘Dam Safety Authority’, says Lewis Verduyn, Forum Spokesperson, and Chairperson of the Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group. “Thousands of people live and work in the hazard paths of dams, and yet dam safety in New Zealand depends on the public having blind faith in dam owners.”

The report, which was released by the Department of Building and Housing, recommends a number of changes to the scheme, which would regulate the safety of an estimated 1150 dams. But the Clutha River Forum believes that some critical issues have not been addressed.

“The report doesn’t acknowledge that overtopping events are a leading cause of dam failures,” says Dr. Richard Kohler, Chairperson of the Central Otago Environmental Society. “When it comes to dam safety, reservoir-related risks such as landslide areas and active fault-lines are just as important as the dams themselves. Rainfall and earthquakes can trigger catastrophic landslides and overtopping waves, and sediment-filled reservoirs can cause devastating floods. Both Clutha dams have reservoir risk factors, however the report recommends that all reference to ‘earthquake-prone and flood-prone dams’ be removed from the Act.”

There are two large concrete dams on the Clutha River. The Roxburgh dam was commissioned in 1956, and has been blamed for serious floods in Alexandra because of reservoir sedimentation. It was re-consented in 2007 for a further 35 years. The Clyde dam was commissioned in 1992 after years of controversy arising from complex fault-line and landslide mitigation issues.

Mr. Verduyn says “Although the review acknowledges that dams degrade over time, there is no mention of criteria to establish when and how dams and reservoirs are decommissioned, when the risks they impose become unacceptable and cannot be fully mitigated. Large concrete dams have a design life of 80-100yrs, but reservoirs trap sediment from eroding catchments, usually reducing this lifespan. Dams older than 50 years with known issues, like the Roxburgh dam, should have decommissioning timetables. Forward planning is needed because the impacts and costs are substantial.”

According to a report by SPX Consultants, ‘Reversibility of Renewable Energy Developments’, released in 2008, decommissioning and river restoration costs for a large dam, as a proportion of construction costs, are between 35% and 150%.

Last year, Contact Energy, the owner of the Clutha dams, dusted off historic plans for four more large dams on the Clutha River.

“The Clutha River Forum,” says Lewis Verduyn, “is firmly opposed to further dams on the Clutha River. Large dams are a gamble and it’s time that we recognised the serious risks that they impose on communities. New Zealand needs a credible ‘Dam Safety Authority’ that can enforce safety baselines and hold dam owners accountable for the impacts of their dams.”

Clutha Groups - Hayes Ruling ‘Common Sense’
11 November 2009

Groups opposed to further large dams on the Clutha River have praised the Environment Court’s decision declining Meridian’s consents for a $2 billion wind farm on the Lammermoor Range.

Members of the Clutha River Forum, an alliance of community and conservation groups, believe that the ruling, released last Friday, represents “common sense.”

The Chairperson of the Beaumont Residents Group, Neville Hills, saw it as “Finally some common sense for New Zealand.”

“The court’s decision points in the right direction,” says Dr. Richard Kohler, Chairperson of the Central Otago Environmental Society. “This decision is a milestone towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”

“Common sense should have prevailed from the outset,” said Leigh Morris, Spokesperson for the Lower Clutha River Guardians. “It was obvious that the effects of such a wind farm were never going to be minor.”

In October, the Clutha River Forum launched an ‘Option 5 – No More Dams’ campaign, a reference to Contact Energy’s four dam options for the Clutha River, at Luggate, Queensberry, Beaumont and Tuapeka Mouth.

“The Lower Clutha River Guardians can fully appreciate the high level of stress that Project Hayes has caused to those involved,” said Leigh Morris, yesterday. “We hope that the people of Beaumont can also look forward to a day when they, too, can celebrate the feeling of freedom from a large company seeking to make a profit at the expense of their environment.”

Forum members were critical of past decision-making, recalling the Clyde dam episode. They said that power companies have long regarded the South Island as an endless resource to be exploited, despite the infrastructural costs of sending the power north, and the destruction of prized Southern environments.

Contact Energy is the next in line, with their decision on a preferred option expected within months.

“‘Think Big’ is dying here,” says Lewis Verduyn, Chairperson of the Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group. “It has raised its head too often. We have learned that the price is too high. There is a strong economic argument for us to protect our most valued landscapes, and there’s a poor argument to destroy them in order to satisfy the energy demands of the north.”

“Renewable energy production should be located closer to the end user,” says Tim Ryan, Chairperson of the Upper Clutha River Guardians. “The Otago region already has its fair share of power stations.”

The Environment Court drew attention to Meridian’s lack of information on alternatives.

The Clutha River Forum believes that New Zealand is not short of “sensible energy options,” including “offshore wind farms that are closer to the demand than Central Otago, and the immense potential of Cook Strait tidal power now being developed by Neptune Power.”

The Hayes decision,” says Lewis Verduyn, “has not only lifted the consenting bar, it has lifted the spirits of those who cherish this landscape.”

“Now that the clouds of uncertainty have been blown away, the Lammermoor Range will look even better,” said Leigh Morris. “We are thankful for the hard work and effort put in by those who fought against its desecration.”

Clutha Forum Launches ‘Option 5’ Campaign
16 October 2009

Proposed dams on the Clutha River now face concerted opposition from several community and conservation groups who have formed a united Clutha River Forum. At a recent meeting in Alexandra, groups dedicated to saving the unique values of the region, resolved to work together to prevent further “Think Big” dams on the Clutha River.

The new forum has considered Contact Energy’s four dam options, and unanimously supports ‘Option 5 – no more dams’.

The forum also has support from the International Rivers organization. “International Rivers supports the global movement for free-flowing rivers and the rights of riverine communities,” said Aviva Imhof, Campaigns Director, in an email message to the forum. “We support your efforts to save the Clutha River from future dam construction and to protect this majestic river for future generations. You are not alone, as literally millions of dam-affected people around the world are fighting for the same goals - to protect their rivers and their rights."

Members of the Clutha River Forum include the Upper Clutha River Guardians, the Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group, the Central Otago Environmental Society, Save Central, the Beaumont Residents’ Group, the Lower Clutha River Guardians, and Forest and Bird - Dunedin Branch.

“The energy question concerns all New Zealanders,” said forum spokesperson, Lewis Verduyn. “This issue must be presented in the wider context of energy problems and solutions. Poorly informed people cannot make informed decisions.”

The forum believes that the public has been misled, citing a public misconception that soaring power prices can only be addressed by building new generation, when “history shows that the consumer is likely to fund this additional generation through higher power prices.”

Members said that the New Zealand energy sector is structured to encourage profiteering from electricity generation, which reduces the producer’s incentive to invest in energy conservation. “Customers have a cost incentive to save energy, but producers have a profit incentive to sell more.”

Past restructuring of the energy sector has failed to deliver efficiencies. Instead, energy companies have manipulated the supply and demand equation to reap enormous profits. This problem can only be addressed by restructuring the energy sector to incentivize energy conservation at every stage of electricity production, management, and distribution.

“This is part of a much wider problem,” says Lewis Verduyn. “As a society we are engaged in the unsustainable pursuit of growth without a proper environmental accounting process. That’s why all our so-called resources, and our rivers, are in terminal decline. Change will be difficult because our decision-makers, in politics and business, are accustomed to the existing failing paradigms of economics and governance. In terms of energy, we need to plan for our future now, by maximizing what we have, and by choosing the most sustainable long-term generation options.”

Forum members agreed that energy efficiency measures can significantly reduce or negate the need for new generation capacity. In most cases, these demand reductions can be achieved at less cost than constructing new generation.

At the same time there is a need for New Zealand to move away from unsustainable generation using oil, coal, gas fired power stations and large-scale hydro. The group regards Contact Energy’s claim that more Clutha dams are among our “best renewable” options, as “old strategies dressed in green-washed language.”

“There is a myth that large hydro is clean, green and renewable,” says Lewis Verduyn. “Large concrete gravity dams have a full life carbon footprint that is 2 to 6 times larger than an average wind farm (another poor option), and as we’ve seen on the Clutha, large dams cause serious environmental and community impacts, submerge productive land, and impose long-term costs, risks and liabilities relating to reservoir sedimentation, floods, instability and decommissioning that are highly problematic.”

Because of problems with large dams (over 10 MW) they are no longer defined as a “renewable” energy by many organizations including the World Wildlife Fund. More than 260 organisations have signed the International Rivers declaration to exclude large hydro, over 10 MW, from renewable energy initiatives in the carbon offset market.

Lewis Verduyn said “There is no place for more large dams in New Zealand, because they cannot provide a sustainable, reliable and expandable energy solution. If energy demand grows by as much as 2.5% annually as predicted we would need the equivalent of one Luggate dam (86 MW) every 6 months, or one Tuapeka dam (350 MW) every 25 months, or another Clyde dam (432 MW) every 29 months. This is obviously unsustainable. We are running out of rivers. Clearly a long-term solution is needed.”

Members of the forum identified the Cook Strait tidal power option as the single largest and most promising “new” renewable energy available to New Zealand, capable of providing more than 17000 MW. It has a guaranteed weather-independent output, a relatively low material cost, and the lowest carbon footprint of any form of generation in New Zealand. The forum believes that this innovative underwater technology, which is being developed by Neptune Power, offers substantial opportunities for New Zealand in a quickly changing world.

Nationwide, a range of initiatives are urgently needed to improve energy efficiency, reduce systemic waste in the energy sector, promote local generation and new renewables, and to develop lasting energy solutions.

The forum has embarked on an ‘Option 5 – No More Dams’ campaign.

International Rivers' Statement

International Rivers' mission is to protect rivers and defend the rights of communities that depend on them. We oppose destructive dams and the development model they advance, and encourage better ways of meeting people’s needs for water, energy and protection from damaging floods. To achieve this mission, we collaborate with a global network of local communities, social movements, non-governmental organizations and other partners.

The large dams proposed by Contact Energy for New Zealand’s Clutha River are unacceptable and unnecessary development options.

World-wide, large hydro dams have devastated river ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities that depend on them. Dam projects are often more harmful than alternative forms of renewable generation, especially when placed across the main artery of a river. Having existing dams on a river, is not in itself justification for further dams, as problems are typically magnified as more large dams are added to a river system, resulting in an increased and cumulative loss of natural resources, habitat quality, environmental sustainability and ecosystem integrity.

Some of the worst impacts of global warming on both people and ecosystems will be felt on water and the hydrological cycle. Some areas will become much drier, some wetter. More extreme floods will threaten the safety of dams, and unprecedented droughts will drastically reduce the hydropower and water supply services that dams are built to provide. Minimizing the impacts of climate change will require moving away from a dependence on large dams for electricity generation and flood control.

The proposed dams at Tuapeka Mouth, Beaumont, Queensberry and Luggate are essentially ‘run of the river’ dams with minimal storage that would not contribute greatly to New Zealand’s energy security. New Zealand’s heavy dependence on hydropower, combined with climate change-induced water storage depletion during dry winters, and a complex distribution network spanning the length of the country, are obvious reasons to avoid compounding these issues with further large hydropower schemes.

It is vital to further diversify and decentralize the energy supply. New Zealand is fortunate to have a range of electricity generation options including wind, geothermal, and marine. These, combined with greater efficiencies in areas such as household insulation, have the potential to provide New Zealand with more than sufficient energy in the long-term.

New Zealand has the best wind energy resources in the world, and yet electricity generation from wind amounts to only 2.5% of installed capacity. By contrast, Denmark generates 20% of its electricity from wind, and Spain will generate 15% of its electricity from wind by 2010.

Marine generation also has the potential to be a major contributor of electricity in New Zealand. Cook Strait is an ideal location for marine generation and distribution. Neptune Energy has estimated that 7000MW could be generated in the Strait, which is almost equivalent to New Zealand’s total annual production.

International Rivers also works to address the legacies of existing projects, to improve development policies and practices, and promote water and energy solutions for a just and sustainable world. The Clutha River has proven to be a complex and challenging environment for dams, as evidenced by the serious siltation issues faced by the Roxburgh Dam, and the stability and seismic safety issues faced by the highly destructive and controversial Clyde Dam. There are serious concerns relating to the safety and sustainability of these existing dams.

Further, the long-term acquisition of some 4000 hectares of land for as yet unconfirmed projects has already had a significant negative impact on river communities by stifling local development.

The Clutha River has extraordinary natural, recreational, tourism and cultural values. The Clutha Mata-Au River Parkway Group and the Clutha Gold Trail Trust are two local groups working to protect and improve their river resource. These projects offer highly desirable outcomes from both an economic and an environmental perspective, locally and regionally. Authorities are urged to support local river communities in their river park and trail initiatives.

Forming another artificial lake in a region that already has several magnificent lakes, and removing a large wild river, where there are no other such rivers, is not a logical advantage for recreation and tourism. Free flowing rivers like the Clutha are scarce, and offer more recreational and tourism opportunities in their natural state, especially in the unique and spectacular environment that is Central Otago.

River-wrecking dams are the wrong choice for a warming world. There is no practical or ethical justification for further hydro dams on the famous Clutha River.

The Five Options

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:18:00 +0000

Option 1: Luggate Dam Hydro Scheme
• Concrete gravity dam two kilometres downstream from the Luggate Red Bridge.
• 8 possible dam sites near the Devil's Nook under investigation.
• Powerhouse would be located immediately downstream, similar to existing Clyde and Roxburgh dams.
• 3 steel penstocks feeding the turbines.
• Dam reservoir would submerge about 230 hectares extending up the Clutha Valley to near Albert Town.
• Reservoir level about 271 metres above sea level.
• Studies are underway to determine the extent of reservoir inundation.
• Capacity 86 MW capable of generating about 500 GWh annually.
• Roading; about 3.5 kilometres of local roads would be flooded and would need re-aligning.
• The Luggate Red Bridge would be submerged and would need to be replaced.
• Project construction time about 4 years.

Option 2: Queensberry Dam Hydro Scheme
• Concrete gravity dam on the Clutha River, near Poison Creek at Queensberry.
• A canal is required to a powerhouse downstream to achieve a generating 'head'.
• There are two canal options; a 12 kilometre canal to Gravelly Gully or a 9.5 kilometre canal to Kidd Creek.
• Two powerhouses in total; one at Gravelly Gull or Kidd Creek, and one at the dam.
• The dam reservoir would submerge about 220-hectares extending up the Clutha Valley to near Luggate.
• Reservoir level about 245 metres above sea level.
• Studies are underway to determine the extent of reservoir inundation.
• Capacity 160 MW capable of generating about 850 GWh annually.
• Roading; 3 kilometres of local roads flooded would need re-aligning, and 12 kilometres of canal access road would be needed.
• Transmission lines would be required in the Upper Clutha Valley.
• Project construction time 4-5 years.

Option 3: Beaumont Dam Hydro Scheme
• Concrete gravity dam on the Clutha River, approximately four kilometres upstream from the Beaumont Bridge.
• A powerhouse would be built in the riverbed with spillways on the eastern side.
• The dam, powerhouse and spillways, would be similar to the Clyde and Roxburgh dams.
• The dam reservoir would submerge about 620-hectares extending up the Beaumont Gorge 23 kilometres to Miller’s Flat.
• The Island Block area downriver from Miller’s Flat would also be submerged.
• Reservoir level about 69 metres above sea level.
• Studies are underway to determine the exact extent of reservoir inundation, but it is thought the inundation would be similar to that which would result from a dam at Tuapeka.
• Capacity 185 MW capable of generating about 1,070 GWh annually.
• Roading: Sections of the Miller’s Flat Beaumont Road and Millennium Trail would be submerged. Six kilometres of State Highway 8, and seven kilometres of local roads would need to be replaced.
• Transmission lines would need to be upgraded, as the Halfway Bush to Roxburgh lines do not have the capacity to carry an additional 185 MW.
• Project construction time 4-5 years.

Option 4: Tuapeka Dam Hydro Scheme
• Concrete gravity dam on the Clutha River, approximately two kilometres upstream from Tuapeka Mouth.
• A powerhouse would be built downstream of the dam.
• The dam, powerhouse and spillways, would be similar to the Clyde and Roxburgh dams.
• The dam reservoir would submerge about 3,400-hectares extending about 50 kilometres up the Rongahere Gorge, over the Beaumont Valley and up the Beaumont Gorge to Miller’s Flat.
• Beaumont township would be submerged.
• The Island Block area downriver from Miller’s Flat would also be submerged.
• Reservoir level about 69 metres above sea level, or about 50 metres above the existing river level.
• Because of earlier studies by ECNZ, the area of inundation is more accurately known.
• Capacity 350 MW capable of generating about 1,950 GWh annually.
• Roading: Nine kilometres of State Highway 8 would be submerged and 39 kilometres of local roads. Re-aligning State Highway 8 would involve the construction of a bridge or causeway across the reservoir.
• Transmission lines would need to be upgraded, as the Gore-Roxburgh, Invercargill-Roxburgh and Gore-Halfway Bush lines do not have the capacity to carry an additional 350 MW. Upgrades to the South Island network would potentially be required.
• Project construction time about 5 years.

Option 5: No dam.

Additional Facts: Hawea Dam Hydro Scheme
• Retrofit of existing dam to install 17 MW generating plant, consented.
• 95 MW development involving canal construction to a powerhouse near Albert Town utilising a 75 m head.
• There are two canal / powerhouse options; a canal to a powerhouse on the lower Hawea River, and a canal to a powerhouse on the Clutha River.

Vote Option 5 - No More Dams

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 08:36:00 +0000

Vote Option 5 - No More Dams