Recent rain has ''all but remedied'' the low flow situation in the main rivers the Otago Regional Council has been monitoring, ORC chief executive Peter Bodeker says.
The ''major concern'' had been the Taieri River, Mr Bodeker commented in a report tabled at a recent ORC meeting.
But because of close monitoring by the ORC and co-operation from irrigators, who had undertaken voluntary rostering, water shortage directions to stop and/or to limit irrigation were placed on only five irrigators.
These were located upstream from Waipiata.
In recent weeks, the ORC had also been focusing on the Manuherikia River, as supply from the Falls Dam was at a ''critically low level''.
Restrictions from the Falls Dam Company on irrigation take, and fortuitous rain, meant the dam level had increased and the minimum flow at Ophir had been maintained.
The ORC had also placed a recording site in the Kauru River to monitor flows that support an endangered galaxiid fish species.
All of the actions taken by management and staff during the drought had been documented to help in future events.
The ORC had developed working systems that would be used in future droughts and ''other critical events managed by the council'', he said in his report.
Active communication between the ORC and all interested parties had ensured that ''our actions had been well received and understood'', and the collaborative work involved had proved positive, Mr Bodeker said.
