Now is time to review water takes

Niwa group manager instrument systems Rod McKay shows a compact stilling well water-monitoring...
Niwa group manager instrument systems Rod McKay shows a compact stilling well water-monitoring package that is used, in conjunction with a weir or flume, to measure water flow. Photo by Colin Williscroft.
Farmers have been urged to look closely at their water takes before new regulations come into force next year.

Otago Regional Council manager land resources Susie McKeague told a meeting of about 80 farmers at a water management field day in Becks recently that nearly all Otago water takes would require measuring to meet Resource Management Act conditions by November 10, 2012.

There would be a tiered approach to the installation of water-measuring devices. Takes of more than 20 litres per second required a measuring device by November 10, 2012; takes of between 10 and 20 litres per second, by November 10, 2014; and takes between 5 and 10 litres per second, by November 10, 2016.

Most of Otago's 3000 consents that required monitoring were for more than 20 litres per second, Ms McKeague said. Data collected by the devices had to be supplied to the regional council.

"So now is a great time to think about what is new water that needs to be measured and what is water that has already been used and is being remeasured, when it does not have to be," she said.

"Historically, systems [used in water takes] have meant that farms have been connected through water flow. Water taken might irrigate a paddock on one farm before any off-flow is used to fill a duck pond on another, before it is then taken and used again for irrigation on another."

In those cases, only the first water take needed to be measured, but it was possible farms' individual consents at present required water use to be measured when it was actually reused water.

"We're encouraging farmers to work together and work out what water is effectively a retake."

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research group manager instrument systems Rod McKay described to those present the options for water-measuring devices that could be used for open channel flow monitoring.

- colin.williscroft@odt.co.nz

 

Add a Comment