A minimum flow has been set for the Pomahaka River which will restrict the amount of water farmers can be take from the river during dry periods.
The proposed primary allocation minimum flow of 3600 litres per second for the irrigation season of October 1 to April 30 and 7000 litres per second for the rest of the year was a first for the river and was adopted by the Otago Regional Council this week.
The river had come close to reaching the proposed minimum flow in recent weeks but rain earlier in the week had boosted it to nearly flood alert level on Monday.
Hearing panel chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said the only major change to the plan following consultation and the hearing was the inclusion of the Waipahi rural stock water supply in the schedule of community water supplies exempt from the minimum flow.
The Clutha District Council submitted the minimum flow could constrain the amount of stock water available over quite a large area.
Council chairman Stephen Woodhead said it was one of the few times the community had asked for a higher minimum flow to be set.
The panel decided not to increase the minimum flow because 90% of brown trout habitat would be protected by the proposed flow, a slightly higher irrigation season minimum flow would have a negligible effect on the ecosystem and the proposed flow provided adequately for the river's tributaries.
