Wetlands Coming to Pukekura Park

The long-term health of Pukekura Park’s lakes is set to improve with the construction of wetlands.

The Council will build wetlands on two sites to trap sediment before it enters the lake system.

“The lakes are at the heart of the park, and our aim is to improve their water quality for the benefit of wildlife and visitors,” says Curator Pukekura Park Chris Connolly.

“The wetlands are sited to capture the sediment from two of the lakes’ feeder streams.”

The park has 38 springs that feed four streams which lead to the park’s lakes system. The two which will flow into the wetlands – the Struan Walkway stream on the other side of Brooklands Road and the Maranui Gully stream which feeds the TSB Bowl of Brooklands lake – carry a lot of sediment.

The project will see the construction of a wetland in the area behind the Bowl stage and on the stream along Struan Walkway. A forbay – a small dam-like structure – will be built in the Bowl lake itself.

“The forbay in the Bowl lake will be just beneath the surface. No one will see it, but it will impede the flow of water enough to encourage the sediment to drop to the bottom rather than continue down the lake system,” says Team Leader Civil Victoria McKay.

Work in the Bowl will start in late September/early October and take a month to complete. Work alongside Brooklands Road and the Struan Walkway will begin in November to avoid the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular, and will take about three months.