However, those associated with the three companies proposing 16 dairy farms running up to 17,850 cows in the Omarama and Ohau Basins did not return messages from the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
An Environment Canterbury panel on Wednesday released the first decisions on 109 resource consent applications for water, mostly for irrigation.
Nine water applications, including for dairy-farm developments proposed by Southdown Holdings Ltd, Williamson Holdings Ltd and Five Rivers Ltd, were all declined.
The main issue was the effect on water quality in groundwater, streams, rivers and lakes in the catchment, with the panel not satisfied enough research and information existed for it to make a judgement.
Waitaki First chairwoman Helen Brookes said her organisation was delighted with the decisions, particularly relating to the dairying developments.
"It is pleasing to have our intuitions confirmed that [large-scale dairying] was not appropriate for a whole lot of reasons," she said.
Like the hearings panel, its major concern was with retaining water quality and it also felt more research was needed on the effects of irrigation.
While Waitaki First opposed large-scale irrigation, particularly for dairying, in the Upper Waitaki it had supported small-scale and existing irrigation.
Dr Brookes hoped the panel would renew existing consents: "We would not like to see the benefits to the local communities go down the gurgler".
Central South Island Fish and Game Council manager Jay Graybill described them as "really good decisions" which answered the key issues his organisation raised. What was unusual was the panel also considered the cumulative effects on water quality, which had not always been done.
The panel had also taken a precautionary approach, particularly over water quality, he said.
Forest and Bird had also been active in opposing the developments and its conservation advocate, Nicola Vallance, said there was no place for "industrial-scale dairying" in the region.
Forest and Bird hoped the upcoming decisions reflected the same concerns and considerations around water pollution.
Other water consents declined in the initial decisions were.-Lilybank Holdings Station Ltd:
• Water from Station Stream to irrigate up to 172ha for pastures and crops.
• High Country Rosehips Orchards Ltd: Water from the Ohau B canal near Twizel to irrigate up to 500ha of rosehips, crops and pasture.
• Rosehips Orchards NZ Ltd: Water from the Ohau C canal near Twizel to irrigate up to 610ha of rosehips and crops, including lucerne.
• Killermont Station Ltd: Water from the Ahuriri River to irrigate up to 300ha of crops and pasture and from the Tara Hills race to irrigate up to 216ha of crops and pasture.
