Regional Council has developed a draft system management plan (SMP) that outlines how we think the Tauranga Geothermal System should be managed. We are now seeking feedback to ensure that the draft SMP reflects the views shared by the community.

The Tauranga Geothermal System is a low temperature geothermal system and is the warm parts of the interconnected groundwater system. Although it is less well-known than the hot geothermal systems of the Bay of Plenty Region, it is used and valued in many ways.

A system management plan is being developed to ensure this system is managed in an integrated and sustainable way, while balancing the values of the community.

System management plans are also required by the Regional Policy Statement for high use systems such as Tauranga.

The Tauranga Geothermal System Management Plan will be a guiding framework for our conduct regarding the use of geothermal heat and/or water. Its scope includes:

• Characteristics, values, and community benefits
• Tangata whenua values and direction
• The vision for the system
• The integration of geothermal and freshwater management
• Guiding principles for management
• Our key strategies for managing the system e.g. production and discharge strategy

The Tauranga Geothermal System is a large low-temperature geothermal system (generally between 30°C and 70°C) that shares similar aquifers as the cold groundwater resource. It extends over 60 km from Katikati-Waihi Beach in the north-west to Te Puke-Maketu in the east, with the dominant heat source appearing to lie near Tauranga city. Learn more about this system here.

For a detailed online map, visit here to open the draft planning map (RNRP Geothermal Spatial Overlay) to support Draft Plan Change 11 – Geothermal.

The feedback period has now closed.

We will be collating feedback which will be considered by Councillors before being adopted.