A plan to sustainably manage geothermal resources in Rotorua city has been given the green light. The Rotorua Geothermal System Management Plan is a policy from the Regional Council that will oversee the management of the city’s geothermal system. It will also inform changes to the Regional Natural Resources Plan and the Rotorua Geothermal Regional Plan later this year.
These changes are part of a regular review process to clarify how Rotorua’s geothermal resources should be used. Regional Council General Manager Strategy and Science, Namouta Poutasi, said that geothermal resources are essential to Rotorua’s environment, culture, society, and economy, and therefore need careful monitoring and management.
The plan outlines how to protect the geothermal system, which is currently healthy but fragile and easily affected by use, climate, and water extraction. It also aims to preserve unique features like hot springs, mud pools, and geysers.
The plan was developed over five years, with input from local communities and the establishment of a working group, Te Ahi Kā Roa Rōpū. This group, made up of representatives from various local areas, worked alongside the Regional Council on the plan’s development.
The plan was finalized and released for wider feedback in late 2023 to early 2024. It received 26 submissions, with nine individuals and groups presenting their submissions to a hearing panel. The panel agreed on the plan’s overall approach and the need to protect the geothermal system.
Following the plan’s approval, the Regional Council will now focus on implementing it and consulting on draft changes to the Regional Natural Resources Plan and the Rotorua Geothermal Regional Plan. These will be consulted on later in 2024, before a formal Plan Change notification process takes place in 2025.
