Dan Rae
Despite members of the Otago Fish and Game council
supporting the investigation of the Tarras Irrigation Scheme by
the Otago Regional Council, they want minimum flow settings of
the Lindis River kept separate from the proposal for public
submissions.
At the Otago Fish and Game Council meeting in Dunedin late
last month,
chief executive Niall Watson said the response by the Otago
Regional Council to a letter in the Otago Daily Times about
two proposed minimum water flows had no logic.
Otago Regional Council associate director communications
Peter Taylor said the Lindis River minimum flow setting
process was on hold until a decision was made on whether the
scheme would go ahead.
''The summer minimum flow numbers in the Lindis River, likely
to be notified in a plan change, would be 750 litres per
second if the scheme does go ahead, and 450 litres per second
if it does not,'' the response said.
Although Otago Fish and Game had supported the investigation
stage of the Tarras Irrigation Scheme by the council, he
believed minimum flow settings should be a separate issue and
considered separately, Mr Watson said.
Council member Dr Mike Turner said the appropriate minimum
flow setting of the Lindis River should be set irrespective
of the proposed irrigation scheme and the flow could be
compromised by the intention of the irrigation scheme.
The two issues needed to be kept separate, Dr Turner said.
Council member Dr Colin Aldridge said Fish and Game had the
obligation to make sure there was enough water in the river
and the minimum flow settings should not be dictated by
''politics rather than science''. Council member Dan Rae said
although he supported in principle the Tarras Irrigation
scheme, he opposed the council exposing ratepayers' money to
risk.
The companies that would make money needed to show the
commercial viability of the scheme, Mr Rae said.
''Those who will benefit the most should put in a business
plan that would stack up in any banker's office.''
shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz
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