Ecology work — scientists settle in

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 47, 13 June 1974, Page 4

Ecology work — scientists settle in

The fresh water section of the ecology division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has begun work in Taupo, but members do not expect to be in business fully until the end of the year. Eight of the nine section - members directed to Taupo from Wellington have settled in, but it may be some months before the laboratory facilities in the department's Tuwharetoa Street headquarters are ready. "At the moment, we are doing a lot of local ' investigation work. We have been out in the field studying potential sources of enrichment to Lake Taupo," said the section head, Dr E. White. "We have been preparing information for the Minister of the Environment, Mr Walding, who was supposed to be meeting us in Taupo but now he is in Britain. Dr White said he

expected to be able to release information on the section's study of Lake Taupo and its catchment in about six months. . At present, the staff is usmg the 2000 square foot ground floor of the building formerly occupied by Wrightson-NMA, opposite the Lake Hotel wholesale department. Modifications to the 5000 square foot first floor area, to include office space and sophisticated laboratory facilities, are to be carried out in two stages. They are not expected to be finished until the end of this year. Dr White said the research vessel promised by the Government was still in the design stage. "I am expecting to hear suggestions from the consultant any time now, but it will obviously be several months before the question of whether we buy it or not is faced," he said. Although the fresh water

section?s research programme will be based at Taupo, about 30 per cent of the work will be in the Rotorua lakes district. The section was set up in 1970 to study water quality and its programme, which has the approval of the National Research Advisory Council, is a major development for the DSIR. Eventually, the Taupo team could be increased to 26 people, including scientists, technicians, chemists, biologists and other experts. Later this year, Dr White hopes to hold an open day at the research laboratory in Tuwharetoa Street so Taupo people can see the team in action. He is also keen to hold lectures on the scientific problems facing the lakes in the district — perhaps with the co-operation of the Taupo Information Centre.