A culturally-led, science-informed approach to water management.

The Hekeao | Hinds River is located on the Canterbury Plains south of Ashburton, between the Rangitata River and Hakatere |Ashburton River. 

The Hekeao | Hinds catchment has some of the highest groundwater nitrate levels in the country. Managed aquifer replenishment (MAR) and near river recharge (NRR) along with improved water, land and nutrient management have been identified as key tools to help reduce the groundwater nitrate concentrations.

The Hekeao | Winslow Road site was proposed as a near-river recharge project site. The project will bring clean water from the Rangitata via existing irrigation races and decrease contaminant concentrations into the underlying Hekeao catchment aquifers. This will in turn increase local watercourse baseflows.

Client

Hekeao/Hinds Water Enhancement Trust and Environment Canterbury

Location

Canterbury

Project team

Gabe Ross
Tanya Blakely
Mapihi Martin-Paul
Sean Eustace
Tommaso Alestra

Worked with

Pattle Delamore Partners (PDP)

Project date

2021 - 2022

Boffa Miskell was engaged to incorporate a mahinga kai wetland into the Winslow Road infiltration site. The design of the site focusses on how to meet cultural needs and values such as considering the ‘mixing of waters’ and ensuring that mahinga kai resources and habitat are successfully integrated within the engineering parameters. 

A multi-benefit approach was taken to design the facility around a constructed wetland habitat. This will filter water before it enters the near river recharge area and provides opportunity for significant biodiversity and mahinga kai values along with accommodating walkways, teaching areas and interpretation information.

A baseline survey measured cultural and ecological values pre-construction. This informed the design process, and a follow up monitoring programme is proposed to measure post-construction changes.

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