Concerns over stream flows

Water users are calling for more monitoring of Otago waterways proposed for minimum flows in a water plan change.

The calls came on the first day of the Otago Regional Council's hearing into the proposed plan change 1b (minimum flows) to the regional plan: water.

A hearing committee of Crs Duncan Butcher, Michael Deaker and Louise Croot heard five submissions in Dunedin yesterday, including those from the Department of Conservation (Doc), Federated Farmers and Oceana Gold.

The proposed plan change aimed to set minimum flows, primary allocation limits, monitoring sites and catchment maps for the Waianakarua River, Trotters Creek and Luggate Creek; and introduce schedule 2D describing matters to be considered in setting minimum flows and primary allocation limits.

Federated Farmers South Island regional policy manager Matt Harcombe said in his submission, his organisation supported the setting of minimum flows and allocation limits.

However, its members were concerned the minimum flows could decrease irrigation reliability and not be "sufficiently robust to provide certainty for investment".

The minimum flows in the plan change were not based on "sufficiently robust" data to introduce as a plan change, he said.

Flows needed to be backed up by a minimum of five years of reliable data and analysis to ensure that when they were implemented and applied to irrigation takes, consent holders would have sufficient certainty.

"It is not until this level of certainty is provided that existing consent-holders will have sufficient confidence to invest heavily in further irrigation," he said.

Environmental Associates director Brendan Heller, on behalf of Doc, also recommended in his submission that priority minimum flow sites should be established with the installation of flow recorders for a minimum of five years.

The monitoring was what was consistent with suitable water management practice to alleviate the risks associated with the setting of minimum flows, he said.

Doc freshwater ecosystems technical support officer Murray Neilson said he was not confident that the minimum flows proposed for the three waterways would sustain and enhance in-stream values.

He was particularly concerned about the riffle-dwelling species such as torrentfish, bluegill bully, redfin bully and koaro.

The hearing continues at Moeraki on Friday and on July 28, at Luggate.

 

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