Shallow lake hits paddle-boat firm

Lake Rotorua's falling water levels have sparked calls for lake users to use extreme caution and are causing an expensive headache for a new lakefront business.

The lake's seven-year low has forced Mokoia Island Tours, formerly the Lakeland Queen, to have a channel dredged in the lake to enable it to keep sailing.

Mokoia Island Tours chief executive Mike Gibbons said the low lake levels had already damaged five of the boat's seven paddles.

Mr Gibbons said if nothing was done within the next few days to make the water deeper, the paddle boat would have to cancel sailings for safety reasons.

Fixing the paddles and contracting the machinery to dig the channel would cost the company up to $25,000.

Mr Gibbons said his company wanted to increase the depth of the main channel from the wharf out to the deep water.

The business, which offers a cruise to Mokoia Island, a meal and a cultural experience on the island, only began operating at the beginning of January.

Mr Gibbons said Mokoia Island Tours contacted Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Rotorua District Council about its concerns three weeks ago.

Environment Bay of Plenty is worried the lake's low level may cause an accident.

Principal engineering officer Graeme O'Rourke said the hot summer weather and lack of rain would see levels in Lake Rotorua continue to fall.

- NZPA