The Lake Waituna Control Association is a group of landowners and recreational users of the lake, which is in charge of organising the opening of the lake as and when required.

The resource consent which the group has, specifically for lake openings, stipulates that they must notify the Conservation Department and also Environment Southland when the lake reaches the level of 2.0m on the gauge on Waghorn's Bridge (at the east end of the lake).

When the lake level reaches and surpasses 2.2m then the lake can be opened.

Unfortunately, several farmers adjoining the lake noticed that they were being flooded out badly by only 2.0m.

This caused a bit of debate in the area, as to whether the gauge had been changed.

To settle this, Control Association Secretary, Darrin Crack contacted Environment Southland who was quickly able to state that the gauge had been repaired and then replaced on the bridge at Mean Sea Level (which was not where it was before).

Environment Southland Senior Environmental Techincal Officer Chris Jenkins confirmed that the gauge reading was out by 192mm.

He said the gauge was corrected on 29 March 2006 to mean sea level.

"I have checked the consent and it is in terms of the old gaugeboard and not mean sea level, so you may open up the lagoon at 2 metres on the new gaugeboard."