Upper Clutha Lakes Trust Board

WAI Wānaka is the new name for the Upper Clutha Lakes Trust. Wai Wānaka is an organisation where people who want to safeguard the health of alpine waterways build communities that do.

Water quality and ecosystem function in the Upper Clutha is being impacted by agricultural and commercial development, rapid urban expansion, invasive species, tourism and climate change. Noticeable effects include E.coli outbreaks, lake snow, algae blooms, flooding, pollution, swimming restrictions, water restrictions and concerns about drinking water quality.

It is much harder to fix water problems than it is to prevent them happening in the first place. WAI Wānaka is an action-oriented group supported by community members and agencies associated with the Upper Clutha region. Together, we are responsible for ensuring that the water that leaves our catchment is of high quality, so that we don't pass problems on to those downstream.

Your support will help to ensure that current and future generations will continue to enjoy our lakes, rivers and streams as we do today.

We work with our community to better understand the impacts of growth so that we can act now to protect, preserve and restore the Upper Clutha waterways. This involves wide collaboration and communication with iwi, urban residents, tourism operators, visitors, farmers, ORC, QLDC and scientists.