Rotorua lakes may get floating wetlands

Nutrient-reducing floating wetlands may be created for Rotorua lakes suffering water-quality issues, following an agreement between Environment Bay of Plenty and Te Arawa Lakes Trust.

The wetlands are used to help reduce the amount of nutrients in lakes, by providing an environment that converts nitrogen in the water to gaseous nitrogen, which can be released into the air.

Rotorua Lakes programme manager Andy Bruere said the agreement was an exciting development which would open opportunities for the area.

The agreement would simplify the approval process for groups wanting to create the wetlands.

Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Toby Curtis said it was a non-intrusive and environmentally friendly methodology of addressing lakes' water quality issues.

The wetlands were recently trialled by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) for Environment Bay of Plenty, and two demonstration wetlands were built at Lake Rotoehu.

Mr Bruere said the trials indicated the performance of floating wetlands was very good at reducing nutrient concentrations and exceeded the performance per unit area of land-based wetlands.

- NZPA