It’s been announced that the Mokihinui River on the West Coast is safe from hydro development, for now anyway.

Mokihinui River, West Coast

I posted recently on The rest of the Clutha safe for now after it was announced that “Contact Energy has withdrawn plans for further hydro development on the Clutha River” – this will save the lower Clutha from development, for now at least.

Lowburn
- all the flat area is now Lake Dunstan

I’ve had a close experience with hydro schemes, the benefits and also the significant downsides. I grew up in Lowburn, and much of my youthful roaming ground is now underwater, and a old rural community has a “wonderful” lake – it is handy for watersports – splitting it in two.

Nearby is the Nevis River. There have also been suggestions for flooding there too, that’s something I’d protest hard about.

Nevis River, Central Otago

And  it’s good to see Peter Dunne on the same songsheet, totally independent of my own views.

Dunne Pleased with Mokihinui Back-Down

United Future Leader Peter Dunne has welcomed Meridian’s decision not to proceed with a proposed hydro-electricity development on the Mokihinui River.Dunne Pleased with Mokihinui Back-Down

United Future Leader Peter Dunne has welcomed Meridian’s decision not to proceed with a proposed hydro-electricity development on the Mokihinui River.

“Meridian’s back-down today is a great result,” said Mr Dunne, who was one of the original signatories to Forest and Bird’s e-card in opposition to the dam.

I applaud the efforts of Forest and Bird, the Federated Mountain Clubs, Whitewater NZ and others who have put a lot of effort into opposing this project.

“Damming ‘wild’ rivers such as the Mokihinui is unnecessary and environmentally irresponsible.”

“Hydro generation has traditionally been thought of as renewable; however the reality is that it is not. Our rivers are a finite resource.”

“The water itself maybe renewable but a dam dramatically changes the character of the river and surrounding landscape forever.”

“The negative environmental and recreational impacts of the proposed dam and its artificial lake would have far outweighed the benefits of the electricity generated.”

“It is my hope that large-scale hydro projects are a thing of the past, we cannot just keep damming our remaining wild rivers; they are far more valuable as they are than they could ever be as electricity generators.”

“Let’s make the Mokihinui the last time we have this debate, and commit ourselves to protecting our remaining wild and scenic rivers before it is too late,” said Mr Dunne.

Hydro power has been a major benefit for New Zealand, but the remaining wild rivers are precious.