The Government's grant is from the Fresh Start for Fresh Water fund, and a $225,000 project with money from an Environment Canterbury fund has begun.
The restoration of Lake Wainono's water quality, biodiversity and its value to Ngai Tahu as a major mahinga kai (food) site was identified as a priority by the Lower Waitaki South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee, a community committee established jointly between Environment Canterbury, Waimate and Waitaki District Councils.
The committee, chaired by Glenavy farmer Robin Murphy and set up as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, has just finalised a water management plan for the area from the Pareora River to Waitaki River, taking in water sources in the Waimate district and the lower Waitaki Valley as far west as the Waitaki dam.
Mr Murphy said the Government's $800,000 grant would go a long way towards arresting and reversing the decline in the water quality and biodiversity values of the lagoon.
Protecting water quality in the wider catchment feeding into the lagoon was a major component of the project. Funding would enable landowners to create riparian buffers to absorb sediment and nutrients before contaminants got into the waterways to the lake.
Mr Murphy said restoring mahinga kai values was a key outcome sought for Wainono.
"Wainono is very significant to tangata whenua as a food source. It is also important for birdlife and native fish, and we will be working in partnership with Ngāi Tahu to help restore the values of the area," he said.
Two of the top priorities of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy were recognising the environmental value and cultural uses for water. The Wainono Lagoon project met both.
Wainono was one of three projects selected by the Canterbury Water Management Strategy regional committee as a "Regional Flagship" project.
The regional committee and the zone committee had already recognised Wainono's significance by starting a $225,000 project in the lagoon.
The Government's funding would address issues in the wider Wainono catchment, Mr Murphy said.
The funding sat alongside Immediate Steps funding the local committee is involved with.
The Lower Waitaki Zone Committee has been working with the community on water management priorities and recently finalised its programme of recommendations.
"We are planning to hold an open day for the community at the lagoon in mid April to promote public involvement in projects so as to achieve improvements for Wainono," Mr Murphy said.
