Te Waihora, Lake Ellesmere.
Sea Openings.
Ecological health Te Waihora, Lake Ellesmere.
The Te Waihora, Lake Ellesmere Sea Openings Fund was established under the CPWL consent to support the managed opening of the lake to the sea. Te Waihora is one of Aotearoa’s most significant wetlands – culturally and ecologically – with the country’s most diverse birdlife population. Because the lake has no natural outlet. Controlled sea openings are essential to regulate water levels, enable fish migration and sustain mahinga kai.
Lake openings sit under a joint consent held by Environment Canterbury and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, advised by a long-standing protocol group (Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Department of Conservation, Waihora Ellesmere Trust, Fish & Game, commercial fishers, local councils and others). Decisions must meet strict environmental conditions – not just trigger levels – so openings can occur quickly when criteria are met.
The Te Waihora, Lake Ellesmers Sea Opening Fund is funded by annual levies from CPWL shareholders, the fund helps enable managed lake-to-sea connections and lake health.
