Tauhara
Rare plants and some natural features remain at Tauhara Geothermal Field, but natural features have been irreparably damaged by development.
Natural features
- Part of the Wairakei – Tauhara system.
- Natural geyser activity has been irreparably damaged.
- Hot springs, steam vents, steaming ground, craters, fumaroles, mud pools, sinter deposits and hot seepages still exist.
- The rare thermal ferns Nephrolepsis sp. 'thermal', Christella sp. 'thermal' and Cyclosorus interruptus are present.
- The Spa sights geysers were affected by changes in the river's level when the Taupo control gates were installed.
Condition
Tauhara is classified for development by Environment Waikato.
Some features are irreparably damaged.
Environment Waikato declined a resource consent application to take 57,000 tonnes of geothermal water per day for power generation because the "proposal would impose unacceptable risks of adverse effects on Taupo township, its people and amenities." The risks were mainly related to land subsidence and hydrothermal explosions.
The applicant appealed to the Environment Court who granted consents for a scaled-down proposal to extract 20,000 tonnes per day because “allowing the activity is not likely to have significant actual or potential effects on the environment”.
Wells at Tauhara also supply the Taupo Hot Springs public swimming pools (previously De Bretts), and the AC Baths, 12 accommodation facilities and numerous domestic bores. Only one sinter depositing spring remains at Tauhara, the Waipahihi Source Spring. Any further use or new wells might reduce the flow of water from this spring, preventing sinter deposition.
