Ōwhiro Stream Catchment Enhancement 

NZ Landcare Trust and Watershed Solutions Ltd have been supporting freshwater enhancements in the Ōwhiro Stream since 2021.

The Ōwhiro Stream catchment extends up to the Chain Hill, Wingatui and Saddle Hill areas, making its way through the residential and industrial areas of Mosgiel and through the Taieri Plains before reaching the Taieri River at Allanton. According to ORC State of the Environment monitoring, the Ōwhiro Stream was found to be one of the most degraded waterways in Otago! Despite this, recent surveys have found that the stream supports a diverse array of life including at-risk (declining) populations of longfin eel, inanga, giant kōkopu alongside other freshwater fish (shortfin eels and common bully).

Areas of interest:

Stream health monitoring

Taieri College students have been monitoring Ōwhiro Stream at two sites over the past two years. The upstream is at Ōwhiro Ave and the downstream site is at Riverside Road. Data is collected and students will analyse the differences in 2024.

As part of an ECO Fund application, stormwater sampling, fish, invertebrate and habitat surveys are being conducted in 2024 to help build a picture of the health of the stream. 

Education

Taieri College and East Taieri Primary School students, along with the Mosgiel Girl Guides and Rangers have been learning about the health of the stream and what lives in it, as part of a Curious Minds funded Participatory Science Platform project.

Action in the catchment

Riparian planting has been undertaken at Ōwhiro Ave to help protect stream banks and enhance native ecosystem in the area. A further planting site has been identified on DCC Parks land at Paterson Road, Wingatui. The local community held a planting day at this site in May, with the help of funding from the DCC Biodiversity Fund and with the support of Te Nukuroa o Matamata.

Please get in touch if you want to know more or wish to be involved.