The Rotorua Lakes clean-up programme has announced another success, with the news that the water quality of Lake Rotoiti is the best it’s been in decades.

The long-term programme is aimed at restoring the lake’s water quality, which suffered for years under sewage discharges and nutrient run off from farms.

Regional Council General Manager Natural Resource Operations, Warwick Murray, said water quality improvements were a result of The Ohau diversion wall separating the lake from Lake Rotorua, coupled with sewage reticulation and reductions in run-off.

Fish and Game, NIWA and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council are praising the results, saying the news can only be good for fisheries.

NIWA Principal Scientist Freshwater Fish Group Manager Dr David Rowe said the results of the smelt monitoring programme in 2012/13 indicated several runs had occurred in the channel over spring. This is important because smelt are a main food source for trout.

– Country TV