A certified marine engineer and skipper who once worked on the Cold Gold Clutha gold mining operation told a hearing in Cromwell this week, the operation had significant environmental shortfalls.

Cold Gold Clutha Ltd has applied for resource consents (land use, water and discharge permits) through the Otago Regional Council to suction dredge further up the river, moving from the Millers Flat-Beaumont area, to upstream near Luggate.

A consent duration through until February 25, 2031 - just over seven years - has been sought for all consents. 

It has currently been operating between Roxburgh Dam and Tuapeka Mouth for the past 10 years.

The new dredging area on the river will cover from the Luggate Bridge to the confluence of the Clutha and Lindis rivers.

Former Lyttelton Port marine engineer Reginald Hall, who has lived in the Upper Clutha area for 20 years, made a live submission to the ORC hearing on Wednesday, opposing the operation.

He also worked for Cold Gold Clutha Ltd and made it clear his departure was amicable.

A total of 36 people in total submitted against the proposal, but the applicant has also put forward a strong case being led by Terramark Ltd.

Reginald told the hearing, design issues on the dredge when he was employed meant it had to be removed from the river temporarily, and he was surprised to learn after 10 years many of the issues had not improved.

Unburnt diesel fuel moving out of a valve resulted in exhaust emissions, which were then discharged into the Clutha River, and the dredge ran on a “dirty, noisy and inefficient” old engine.

He said the odds of a fuel spill were extremely high and he believed there were no maritime qualified crew to respond to any emergencies.

To remain afloat, the dredge would also have to be located in the middle of the river, and was very limited in its response to move away from other vessels, he said.

“The river is considerably narrower than the lower Clutha River and will be “severely restricting” other vessels, he said.

Consultant planner Josie Burrows, on behalf of the ORC, recommended the application be declined.

She believed there was inadequate information to assess the effects of the suction dredging proposal on cultural values. 

While the applicant commissioned a Cultural Impact Assessment, Aukaha advised that inadequate information had been provided to mana whenua to assess whether the proposal provided for cultural values, including the mauri of the water (ecology, biodiversity and archaeology.)