KEY POINTS:
Fish & Game has joined people protesting against a proposed hydroelectric power scheme on Rotorua's Kaituna River.
On Wednesday, the Herald reported that kayakers objected to a scheme to build the 13MW scheme on the river's upper reaches, believing it would ruin the river's rapids, a valuable tourism asset.
Yesterday, Fish & Game regional manager Steve Smith said the project, which would divert water from the river into a 2km canal and power station, could also affect the upper river's "significant" trout fishery.
"There are some issues in terms of recruitment of fish to that area, and also potential impact on the food supply through turning it into a still-water environment as opposed to flowing water," he said.
He said Fish & Game sought an environmental impact assessment two years ago from Bay of Plenty Electricity, which is proposing the scheme. It had not received a reply.
However, the power company has said the fishery area, known as the Trout Pools, would not be affected because it was outside the area where the scheme would be built.
The company has applied for a concession to use 0.7ha of the 54ha Upper Kaituna Scenic Reserve to build part of a dam, and to flood 0.5ha to 1ha of the reserve.
Conservation Minister Chris Carter has indicated he will approve the concession.
The deadline for public submissions on this aspect of the plan is Monday.
The power company had yet to apply for resource consent for the scheme, most of which would be built on privately owned Maori land.
Mr Smith reiterated views earlier expressed by local kayak shop owner Donald Calder, who said the river was not worth sacrificing for a scheme that would generate electricity for only 10,000 homes.
"If you work out the growth and generation capacity that's predicted as necessary for the country this 13MW provides a very, very small amount of the increase required for one year," Mr Smith said.
"Basically it's totally insignificant. Yet it results in a significant river being dammed forever."
Mr Smith blamed an approach to power generation that was driven by whether it was financially attractive to power companies, not whether it provided a strategic advantage to the country.
A more sustainable use of the Kaituna was preserving its natural state for tourism, he said.
The scheme was one of a number of small hydro projects proposed nationwide under the guise of "renewable energy".
"Renewable energy is one of the biggest misnomers that is ever used," he said. "The fact is that once the river stops being a free-flowing river, it's not renewable."
Wading into river row
* Anglers oppose a planned hydroelectric power station on the Kaituna River because they fear it will ruin trout fishing ponds.
* Kayakers say the dam and power station will wreck their rapids and devalue the river's tourism value.
* Bay of Plenty Electricity rejects the claims, saying kayaking and fishing will not be affected.
* The power station will generate enough electricity to supply 10,000 homes.
