Authorities are doubling down on assertions that there is no problem at Lake Camp — other than natural fluctuations.
Both the Department of Conservation and Environment Canterbury are adamant that the low levels at the lake are due to drought conditions in the high country and are not impacting the lake’s health.
Locals were calling for the Balmacaan Stream diversion that had topped up the lake for 56 years to be reinstated as they watched the lake steadily shrink.
Department of Conservation Geraldine operations manager Tony Preston said it was only because of a dry winter that Lake Camp was low, like many of the lakes in the area.
“This is not a concern – the lake has been at low levels before.
“There is no evidence that a diversion of Balmacaan Stream into Lake Camp is required to maintain lake levels.
“Lake Camp is currently experiencing low levels primarily due to the drought, along with a number of other lakes throughout Canterbury."
DOC’s position was not to intervene in natural processes unless it was a priority for protecting threatened ecosystems or species, Preston said.
“We have no ecological concerns about Lake Camp due to low water levels, or for the species that live there.
“We have been working closely with ECan and other stakeholder groups to monitor lake conditions this summer in Ōtūwharekai, and despite the low levels, we have no indication that the system’s health is declining.”
ECan surface water science manager Elaine Moriarty said they continued to monitor Lake Camp closely.
“We’ve explained to the local hut holders that, at present, Lake Camp’s water levels, although low around the shore, are not impacting the lake’s water quality.
“It’s not uncommon for small lakes like Lake Camp, which either have small or no permanent inflow, to have large variations in lake levels throughout the year.
“What we do know is that although water levels are low around the shore, Lake Camp has a deep middle section (18m deep) which helps support aquatic life during dry times.
Because of its depth, Lake Camp was more tolerant to the variations than shallower lakes, such as Lake Emma, and Lake Lyndon, she said.
Members of the community disagreed.
The Lake Clearwater Hutholders Association have suggested that while there was no water quality issue at the moment, there would be as the water levels continue to recede.
They wanted an organisation to apply for the resource consent to reinstate the Balmacaan Stream diversion.
Under the Resource Management Act (RMA), ECan was not legally allowed to engineer or take water from any other waterways to put into these lakes without resource consent, Moriarty said.
“Any person, organisation or group can apply for consent to build and operate a new diversion.
“Many lakes and rivers across Canterbury are currently facing low water levels due to the lack of rain with some are experiencing more ecological stress than Lake Camp.
“However, we can’t realistically create and consent diversions for all these waterways either.”
The Balmacaan Stream diversion remained in place but the flooding in 2021 scoured out the stream and it was no longer working.
Reinstating it would require resource consent – and an organisation to hold it.
If an organisation stepped up to get resource consent for the diversion, it would also need permission from DOC as it would need to cross DOC-managed public conservation land, Gordon said.
“We would consider any application based on its merits and the potential ecological impacts.”
The issue hasn't reached an ECan council meeting yet to be discussed but at the Ashburton Water Zone Committe meeting Mid Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie supported proactive actions.
“You don’t need to be a water scientist to know that if you cut off the water supply to a puddle, the puddle will eventually stagnate and go manky."
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