Skyline Enterprises Ltd has applied to Queenstown’s council for resource consent to remove more than 3000 cubic metres of material from areas high above Queenstown in the Ben Lomond Recreation Reserve.
The work’s part of the remediation of the damage caused to the precipitous mountain slope by rain on the wettest day in 24 years — September 22 last year.
Debris flows of mud, logs and forestry "slash" smashed into Queenstown’s historic cemetery and led 41 residents of Brecon St and Reavers Lane to temporarily evacuate their homes.
Much of the clean-up has been done, but Skyline still has several problem areas to sort out, in an effort to avoid a similar problem in future.
The main focus is on removing 2500cu m of material from a slip just below and to the north of the Bob’s Peak restaurant, where water feeds into Reavers Creek and ultimately Queenstown’s stormwater system.
The plan’s to use a digger, spider excavator and winch to tackle the bulk of the material, but some will need to be shovelled into bags by hand and flown to another location on the mountain by chopper.
Earthworks will also be needed to create and then remove access tracks for trucks.
An Enviroscope Ltd environmental management plan describes the work site as "steep to very steep" with slope gradients of 40-to-45 degrees "with numerous bluffs".
Skyline plans to remove Douglas Fir trees — regarded as wilding trees — from the area and re-plant with native grasses.
However, because of the wild goats in the reserve, planting "cannot be guaranteed to reach maturity".
The material to be removed includes schist rock "scalpings", consisting of gravel, cobble and boulders, with some sand and silt.
One of the requirements for the project manager, according to Enviroscope, will be to have a procedure for a "rapid response" in the event of a storm.
"If a significant storm event is forecast all works should stop within an appropriate amount of time to inspect ... devices and undertake any maintenance or site stabilisation required.
"When storms are forecast, it is crucial that tools are downed in time for the rapid response procedure to be implemented.
"This will help avoid environmental incidents, potential enforcement action and site shutdown."
Skyline’s reports acknowledge the work would be visible from a "broad area" but the effect on landscape values will be less than minor.
Skyline Enterprises Group CEO Geoff McDonald tells Mountain Scene the company’s ready to begin removing the material — weather permitting — as soon as consent’s issued.
