The Kaituna River is back to raftable levels after 72 days of high flows.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council principal engineering surveyor Graeme O'Rourke said Rotoiti lake levels and flows were recovering and were now back inside the usual operating range for the lake.
He said it meant the Okere Gates could be lowered, reducing Kaituna River flows to around 26-27cumecs, a raftable level.
"It has been a long haul since we opened the Okere Gates fully on March 27 when we were facing heavy rains and rising lake levels.
"You can imagine Rotoiti as a large bathtub and the gates as a small plughole at the end. Nature has turned the taps on full and it has taken a long time to let the water out of a small plughole.