People will next week have the chance to give their views on the future management of water in the lower Waitaki River and Waimate district at a series of public meetings called by an Environment Canterbury committee.
The lower Waitaki south coastal Canterbury zone committee was set up by Environment Canterbury and the Waitaki and Waimate district councils under the Canterbury water management strategy. It is working on priorities for managing water in catchments from the Otaio in the north, to the lower Waitaki River below the Waitaki dam in the south.
Feedback from the six meetings will help guide the development of a zone implementation programme.
Priorities will be specific water management issues in the zone, including biodiversity, the Waitaki catchment water allocation regional plan, drinking water, flows, lowland streams and water quality, and the Wainono Lagoon.
Once a draft is developed, the community will also have a chance to comment later next month on the programme before it is submitted to council.
The community meetings are on Tuesday at the Duntroon Hall from noon to 3pm, and the Kurow Hall from 5pm to 8pm; on Wednesday at the Glenavy Hall from noon to 3pm and Oamaru Opera House from 4.30pm to 8.15pm; and Thursday at the Waimate St John Hall from noon to 3pm and the St Andrews Hall from 5pm to 8pm.