These unassuming pools on the northeast shore of Lake Hayes are quietly doing some of the most important work in our whole catchment. Stormwater running off the hillside homes below Bendemeer. “The Terraces” picks up fine sediment as it flows downhill toward the lake. Left unchecked, that sediment would wash straight into Lake Hayes, feeding the same phosphorus problem FOLH has spent years working to reverse. Instead, a series of shallow swales along the shoreline slows the w

The improving condition of Lake Hayes continues to provide encouragement for the community working to restore the lake, with clearer water and lower phosphorus loads being observed heading into winter mixing. A major contributor to that progress has been the outstanding performance of sediment traps installed on the Dagg family farm. These traps capture run-off into Mill Creek from above the farm including Mt Dewer, Coronet Peak and new cycle trails. In years past this sedi

The latest 2025 results (386t) indicate that sediment loads entering the lake from Mill Creek remain well below the historic levels estimated in earlier studies. Prior to 2020, catchment investigations suggested that around 1,000 tonnes of sediment per year could reach the lake under typical conditions. Our long-term restoration goal has been to reduce that figure toward a rolling average of around 300 tonnes per year, a level considered more consistent with supporting a heal

Millbrook has been very active this year in supporting the restoration of Wai Whakaata / Lake Hayes. Using a remote-controlled dredge, they have successfully vacuumed and pumped around 2,000 tonnes of sediment, containing an estimated 2 tonnes of phosphorus, out of their upper ponds. This work will have a significant positive impact on the health of the lake. The Friends of Lake Hayes (FOLH) target is to remove 500–700 tonnes of sediment per year, and thanks to these efforts,

A big thank you to Martin Barwood, who gave a presentation of his amazing photography at our AGM. Lake Hayes is a wildlife reserve – it is awesome to see these birds living around the lake. Please do not let your dogs roam near the bird's habitats! You can follow Martin's work on Instagram and Facebook: (@martinbarwood)

The FOLH Chairman, Mike Hanff has presented to the QLDC Te Pūtahi Ladies Mile Hearing, on our opposition to the proposed storm water discharging into Lake Hayes. ​ "Given that a big part of the Lake Hayes remediation work is funded through rates, if QLDC continue to support a stormwater design with run-off into Lake Hayes, QLDC need to be able to explain to the community whether they remain committed to improving the health of Lake Hayes. If QLDC is committed to improving the

This video was taken at the south end of Lake Hayes, Wai Whaka Ata, 6 July 2020 after 75 mm rain on frozen ground, shows polluted storm water run-off from Ladies Mile catchment into Wai Whaka Ata.

FOLH would like to acknowledge the support of the Otago Regional Council who have ratified 2 key actions requested by FOLH in their submission on the ORC 2020-2021 Operating Plan. The issues addressed in the comprehensive Lake Hayes Management Strategy (1995) remain largely unchanged today. However, to bring it up to date, data from the current ORC catchment nutrient study needs to replace the old nutrient load information. Similarly, the catchment land use information need

The water quality monitoring buoy installed last year in Lake Hayes by the Otago Regional Council has provided valuable information about the dire water quality conditions that recently resulted in the death of a number of brown trout in the lake. ​ Dead Trout found at the south west end of Lake Hayes, just off the raupo beds on March 13, 2020. Cyanobacteria bloomed in February 2020 causing the lake to be closed to swimming again. Water quality over recent years has deteriora

We have heard some great news that a well-known NZ bird watcher and photographer, John Kyngdon has spotted a very rare Marsh Crake at Lake Hayes. ​ The Marsh Crake is one of New Zealand’s most secretive birds, largely because it inhabits dense wetland vegetation, rarely ventures into the open and usually only calls at dawn or dusk and through the night. Marsh Crakes primarily feed on invertebrates and seeds of aquatic plants. ​ Photo copyright John Kyngdon.