People are being urged to turn out in force for an Otago Regional Council public meeting tonight to discuss water allocation from two North Otago aquifers.
The community workshop is the second to discuss the state of the Deborah and Waiareka aquifers, the maximum allocation of water and the implications of that for those using groundwater from them.
Some of the future management options included a total allocation of seven million cubic metres a year for irrigation and other uses from the aquifer, better management to ensure sea water does not intrude and monitoring the nitrate levels in the eastern aquifer.
Oamaru resident Peter Grant said the decisions made about the aquifer would affect the Kakanui River.
Long-term residents of Kakanui were aware of the gradual decline in the river's water quality over the past 10 years.
What happened above and below the ground of the Deborah and Waiareka aquifers, and the increasing agricultural intensity of Kakanui Valley affected the ecosystem of the river.
Water issues and environmentally sustainable agricultural development should be a top priority for North Otago people.
Land use had changed dramatically in the past five to 10 years, from predominantly sheep and cattle to intensive dairying.
While dairy development had helped North Otago's economy, it had come at a cost.
