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Christchurch City Scene
June 2003

Lead Stories

Funding changes

Some quality control for Chch compassion

Have your say on dog control

Road plan for north considered

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Canty mudfish at university


A section of Okeover Stream in a secluded area of the University of Canterbury campus has been reshaped and restored as a habitat for the rare Canterbury mudfish.

The City Council has been working on the stream project with university staff and students.

The section being worked on is in the north-west corner of the campus, just above Engineering Road.

The stream’s new meandering course, deep pools, reactivated groundwater springs and vegetation will help the mudfish. The small, hardy fish is found in spring-fed streams which contain deep pools and abundant aquatic and wetland margin plants.

Aquatic vegetation is important because mudfish lay eggs on leaves and stems.

Creative use of engineering structures such as gabions (wire baskets filled with river stones) to line the pools will provide refuge for the mudfish.

It will take time for the habitat to naturalise so the mudfish will be introduced when there is enough food and shelter for them.

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