Coast rivers warning alarms in May
Brendon McMahon, Local democracy reporter
Hydrology data collected by the West Coast Regional Council underscores just how wet the month was.
However while the Hokitika and Haast rivers exceeded their 1-year annual return periods during heavy rain on May 9, high flows in the Grey and Buller rivers further north remained below their one-year annual return, a resource science report to the Resource Management Committee on Tuesday says.
"May has been a wet month of unsettled weather for the West Coast with the Hokitika and Waiho rivers triggering four flood warning alarm responses," the staff report says.
"On average, most flows recorded were above or near median annual flows".
On May 3 the Hokitika passed the first alarm threshold of 3750mm and peaked at 3793mm; six days later on May 9 it peaked at 4411mm.
The threshold of 8000mm at the Waiho (Waiau) River at Franz Josef was passed and peaked at 8474mm on May 3; it peaked slightly lower at 8144mm on May 9.
In April the Hokitika River at the gorge measuring point, surpassed its flood alarm threshold on the 11th, with a peak of 3762mm.
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A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
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