In February 2007, the Queenstown Lakes District Council issued a resource consent permitting the clearance of indigenous vegetation for the construction of a reservoir for snow-making.
Plans changed last year and the council issued a variation to provide for two reservoirs.
The Sarah Sue reservoir was partly constructed and cleared early this year. NZ Ski sought a variation to allow for a larger Sarah Sue and a larger cleared area.
The company's proposal stated the increase in reservoir water storage was needed to make effective use of the expanded automated snow-making system at Coronet Peak.
Pre-approved earthworks started on December 1 and were set to end on March 12, with final works, drainage and restoration finished by April 9.
The project would involve the stripping of "some" additional vegetation and topsoils to the depth of 33mm to 500mm within the 7050sq m construction zone and the removal of "some" vegetation to restoration sites within the ski area. Some of the clearance had already occurred under the earlier consent.
Further proposed works would see excavation and liner installation followed by the replanting of stored plants, with surplus plants used to enhance restoration in other areas. A safety fence would be erected on the reservoir's outer perimeter.
Coronet Peak assistant ski area manager Nick Edwards said NZ Ski was working under the governance of the Department of Conservation. The reservoir was part of the skifield's snow-making application last year and was the last phase of the snow-making system installation.
"We had the opportunity to increase the size of the reservoir while we could, when we could, to reduce the future impact on the skifield," Mr Edwards said.
