Otago Regional Council evaluating lake snow report

Lake Wakatipu

The results of Landcare research commissioned by the Otago Regional Council into whether the organism that produces lake snow is endemic to New Zealand or a recent introduction from overseas has been delivered to the ORC, but the results are unlikely to be made public for some time.

ORC communications team leader Mark Peart confirmed the report by Landcare researcher Dr Phil Novis had ''just been received'' by the ORC but could say no more than ''it was being evaluated''.

Mr Peart said he could not reveal what would happen to the report in the immediate future but said it would be presented to a full ORC council meeting before the end of the year, at which time it would be made public.

The ORC commissioned Dr Novis to undertake genetic analysis of the lake snow diatom Lindavia intermedia following a technical workshop on lake snow at the ORC on December 20 last year.

Workshop participants represented Landcare Research, Niwa, Cawthron Institute, University of Otago (Catchments Otago), Ministry of Primary Industries, Environment Canterbury, Environment Southland, Queenstown Lakes District Council and the ORC.

Dr Novis made a presentation at the December ORC workshop at which he said preliminary genetic work indicated there was ''some detectable genetic variation'' between New Zealand and United States lake snow.

The mucus known as lake snow was first found in Lake Wanaka in 2004 and last year was found in Lake Wakatipu for the first time. It has also been found in Lakes Coleridge, Alexandrina, Ruataniwha, Waitaki and Benmore.