Commonly asked questions - West Coast Zone

Either complete the online Request for service form or phone 0800 800 401.

No, Waikato Regional Council does not provide funding towards the cost of applying or implementing a resource consent for catchment or river management works.

Waikato Regional Council can offer up to a 35% grant assistance for works within priority catchments. If you are a landowner in one of our high priority catchments, then through our partnership programme Waikato Regional Council may be able to offer a higher level of grant assistance. Your property will need to be at least 4 hectares to receive funding.

Yes, funding is available to landowners who have signed an agreement called an Environment Programme Agreement (EPA) – drawn up for the landowner’s particular situation. If you receive more than $35,000 in funding a covenant will be required on the title to protect the investment that has been made.

Typically, these include:

• Excluding stock from stream edges, bush, wetland, seep, gully and steep hill country areas.
• Enhancing biodiversity through planting of suitable native plant species in stock proof areas
• Enhancing water quality through restoring streambanks and wetlands, and constructing sediment traps.
• Land use change and re-vegetation for harvested blocks or steep land or slip prone land, with either native plants or appropriate open space planting with exotics (such as poplars), and fencing for retirement of stock.

Waikato Regional Council has secured funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries Hill Country Erosion Fund.

The amount of funding available to landowners depends on whether landowners are in an identified priority catchment, or whether the council has secured additional funding for work programmes outside business as usual. Funding can be up to 70%, depending on the type of work and funding available. Landowners are able to use their contribution as work in kind.

Waikato Regional Council can assist with the removal of gravel that has built up in a channel after a flood event or from normal river deposits (where appropriate). 

Landowners have the primary responsibility for maintaining rivers and streams on their property.

Landowners can do this by:

• Managing stock to keep rivers and other waterways clear.
• Planting vegetation to protect and stabilise riverbanks.
• Maintaining vegetation to prevent waterway obstruction.
• Managing animal and plant pests.

Waikato Regional Council can undertake the removal of major blockages and obstructions beyond normal landowner maintenance.

For activities like obstruction removal, the landowner is expected to provide in-kind contributions such as dropping/reinstating fences to provide access and disposing of material removed from a channel. For larger projects such as erosion protection of riverbanks, Waikato Regional Council can fund up to 50% of the total cost, although a landowner can lessen their share through in-kind works.

Start with the online Request for Service form and select ‘Regulatory, consents and compliance’.

Following this or alternatively, contact your local Waikato Regional Council office for additional information and advice. If the Waikato Regional Plan permitted activities cannot be complied with, then a resource consent may be required.

For activities like obstruction removal, the landowner is expected to provide in-kind contributions such as dropping/reinstating fences to provide access and disposing of material removed from a channel. For larger projects such as erosion protection of riverbanks, Waikato Regional Council can fund up to 50% of the total cost, although a landowner can lessen their share through in-kind works.