Cannons Creek Lakes Reserve

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Location

Suburb
Cannons Creek

Primary Purpose of Reserve
Recreational & Ecological Linkages

Values & Outcomes

Flax cultural use.

Te Awa Iti Springs (below Brandon Intermediate) are piped into the reserve.

Refer to Cannons-Creek-Lakes-Reserve Issues and Options Report 2010.

Good to excellent water quality with high macro invertebrate diversity. Healthy populations of fish including nationally threatened species including banded kokopu, giant kokopu and short-fin eel, together with high numbers of invertebrates.

Bird wildlife including native paradise ducks, shags, black swans and swallows.

GWRC Key Native Ecosystem.

3 (E1A1) Wetland around Cannons Creek lakes, and surrounding largely introduced and regenerating forest. Adjoins large bush area on hills in Belmont Regional Park.

Major community revegetation projects.

Walking, exercise, duck feeding, non-contact water activities.  

Entrance to Belmont Regional Park.

Lot 1 DP 27474 is a Crown Derived Reserve.

Utilities (Important): Stormwater.

Utilities (non-PCC): Intermediate Pressure Gas Main.

The primary function of the reserve is its role as a flood detention basin. The lakes were built in the 1950's as stormwater detention ponds.

Popular route for people walking between school and shops.

Aesthetics, ambience.

Friends of Maara Roa and Brandon Intermediate have played an important role in revegetation projects.

Cannons Creek Lakes Opportunity Centre litter picking partnership with Porirua City Council.

1. Ensure continued effective functioning as a flood detention basin, to allow controlled peak flows from the upper catchment into the Kenepuru Stream and Porirua Harbour.
   
   
2. Maintain the upper lake as a wetland, with no dredging, as this is an effective natural mechanism to slow the peak flows entering the reserve during major rain events.
   
   
3. Monitor the volume of silt in the lower lake. Maintain silt levels at or below the invert level of the outlet pipe to avoid sediment entering the Kenepuru Stream and harbour. Consider as appropriate some further silt removal from time to time to protect the open water aesthetic values of the lower lake.
   
   
4. Protect the significant natural values associated with Cannons Creek lakes and wetland, to achieve healthy ecological functioning and to safeguard ecological connections by creating a forested landscape in accordance with Option 3 of the Ecological and Landscape Issues and Options Report (Boffa Miskell Ltd, 2010).
   
   
5. Undertake additional riparian planting as opportunities arise, to improve in-stream habitat, and expand the restoration planting around the rest of the reserve.
   
   
6. Protect the aesthetic landscape values of the wetland, lake and open space through cautious management of land disturbance and structures. As the lower lake edging deteriorates, gradually remove damaged sections of concrete and stone edging  and replace with riparian planting along some parts of the lower lake, allowing minor recontouring of lake edge if necessary to maintain access to the water for kayaks and other non-contact recreation.
   
   
7. Recognise Te Awa Iti Springs in any interpretation.
   
   
8. Continue to allow use of cultural resources (flax & watercress) by monitoring and managing plants, and engaging with mana whenua and immigrant communities.
   
   
9. Continue to encourage use of the reserve for outdoor recreation, environmental and landscape appreciation by providing safe, stepping stone outdoor adventure, walking and exercise opportunities. As funding allows, complete the walking path around the preimeter of the lower lake, to be constructed so that it is resilient in the inherently wet and floodable environment of the flood detention basin. Avoid other recreational structures that may be damaged by flooding. 
   
   
10. Allow mountain biking through the reserve only as necessary to access designated mountain biking tracks in Belmont Regional Park.
    
    
11. Allow non-contact water recreation.
    
    
12. Protect the strategic value of the reserve as both handy to civic, service and shopping areas, and as a favoured entrance into Belmont Regional Park. Protect and improve, as funding allows, the reserve-to-reserve ecological and walkway network connections between Bedford Reserve, Cannons Creek Lakes Reserve and Belmont Regional Park.
    
    
13. Prohibit dogs from the Cannons Creek Lakes Reserve.

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