Water Allocation and Use Community Meetings

Wairau River

Programme

• Setting the Scene• Efficient Allocation• Setting Limits• Enhanced Transfer• Encouraging storage• Effects of afforestation• Next steps

Setting the Scene

•Pere Hawes (Manager Environmental Policy)

Current management

• Operative management framework for water allocation and use

• Demand anticipated from aquifers and larger river catchments

• “Sustainable Flow Regimes” established– Minimum flows for rivers– Allocation classes (each with a limit)

Current management

• Approximately 1300 water permits• Ease of access to water enabled rapid

expansion of viticulture– Two appeals heard by the Environment Court

• Productive value is approximately $1.1billion – 77% of the contribution is to primary production

Driver 1: Review process

• Statutory requirement– Review of the effectiveness and efficiency of

“sustainable flow regime”– Emerging allocation issues as limits approached

Driver 2: NPSFM 2014 (and 2011)

• Requirement to give effect to the NPSFM 2014– Set environmental flows/levels and allocation limits– Efficient allocation– Criteria for transfer– Encourage efficient use– Avoid future over allocation– Phase out over allocation

Water Forum February 2012

• Initiated review• All water users and others with an interest in

water invited• Current status of resources• Confirm issues to be addressed through review• Identified strategic issues

Strategic issues

• Full allocation of water resources• Allocative efficiency*• Over allocation of water resources• Setting of limits*• Encouraging water storage*

Water Allocation Working Group (WAWG)

• Representatives of water users– Different water uses– Different geographical areas

• Make use of experience in water management • Advise Council on management options• Has met monthly since July 2012

WAWG Membership

• Clr Geoff Evans• Francis Maher• John Hickman• Guy Lissaman• Dr John Small• Mike Insley• Dominic Pecchenino

• Dr R. Balasubramaniam(Bala)

• Steve Wilkes• Neil Deans• Dr John Bright• John Patterson

Strategic issues

• Equitable access to water (WAWG)• Certainty and reliability (WAWG)*• The effects of groundwater abstraction on

surface water (WAWG)*• Effects of afforestation on water yield (WAWG)*

Regional Planning and Development Committee

• WAWG reported recommendations to Committee

• Committee has adopted recommendations for the purpose of consultation

• Test recommendations– Seeking feedback from water users and others with

an interest in freshwater

Purpose of Meeting

• Provide briefing on management proposals for the Wairau River (upstream of Waihopai River confluence)

• Provide opportunity for feedback on these proposals

Efficient Allocation

• John Bright (Aqualinc Research Ltd)

The issue

• Difference between paper allocation and actual use– Use of generic allocation guidelines

The issue

Consented Rate of Take

Water volume allocated but not used (locked up)

Water volume actually used

The issue

Consented Rate of Take

Water volume allocated but not used (locked up)

Water volume actually used

Water freed up for allocation to someone else

The issue: a lot of water allocated but not used, even in dry years.

Consented Rate of Take

Water volume allocated but not used (locked up)

Water volume actually used

Water freed up for allocation to someone else

Proposal• Accurately define reasonable use requirements

for irrigation• Reasonable use volumes should reflect demand

under efficient operations.• Demand determined by:

– Crop type(s)– Soils– Climate– Irrigation method

Water Permits – to use water

Reasonable use volumes are specific to the property concerned and reflect climate, soils, crops, and irrigation systems on that property.

Reasonable use volumes are typically set at a level that fully meets irrigation requirements on the property 9 years out of 10, and meets a large part of requirements in the very driest years.

Annual irrigation water use

9 year in 10 reasonable use volume

Reasonable Use Volumes by Month9 year in 10 reasonable use volume by month

(cubic metres per hectare per day)

Reasonable Use Volumes by Month9 year in 10 reasonable use volume by month

(cubic metres per hectare per day)

Info on Reasonable Use Volumes

• Will provide on-line access to reasonable use volumes determined using IrriCalc – a tool for modelling irrigation water use

• Provides default volumes

• Flexibility to provide property specific information to justify alternative allocation

Summary

• Application of reasonable use test achieves efficient allocation

Setting Limits

•Val Wadsworth (Surface Water Hydrologist)•Peter Hamill (Senior Water Quality Scientist)

National Policy Statement Freshwater Management 2014

• Required to set environmental flows and/or levels– Allocation limit – Minimum flow

Current management - triple class system

AB

C

SFR

C shut-off, B restrictions begin

B shut-off, A restrictions begin

A shut-off

Flow decreasing with time

Flow

Current management• Class A

– 0– Effectively allocated to groundwater recharge

• Class B– 15 m3/s available for abstraction

• Class C– 67% of any flow above 30 m3/s

Current management

• SFR Flow (m3/s)– Wairau River at Narrows: 14 m3/s– Wairau River at Tuamarina: 8 m3/s

Current management

• Class B restriction– No take below 9 m3/s at Wash Bridge– No take below 8 m3/s at Tuamarina– Rationing when flows reach 30 m3/s at Tuamarina

• Class C restriction– No take below 30 m3/s at Tuamarina

Existing Class B

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Flow

m3/

s)

Time (days)

Natural FlowFlow after abstraction

Allocation 15 m3/s

Environmental flow

Current status• Allocated 9.9 m3/s

– Includes duplicate allocation WVWS– Effective allocation approximately 8 m3/s

• Effects of hydro peaking on administration of minimum flow

• Flow monitoring site at Wash Bridge not installed• Takes of groundwater managed as surface

water• Takes from tributaries have Wairau minimum

flow apply and minimum flow for source river

Wairau River Class B threshold exceedances 2006

5

6

8

10

12

14

15

Flow m

3/s

11-Mar-2006 17-Mar 20-Mar 23-Mar 26-Mar 29-Mar 1 -A pr 4 -A pr

Shutoff

site 60109 Wairau at Barnetts Bank Flow m3/s

Trustpower

Review• SFR flow reviewed by Cawthron

– Utilised evidence heard in TrustPower appeal• Some justification for lifting the minimum flow from a

habitat perspective– 10.4 m3/s– Based on daily minimums?

• Peer reviewed by Stark in terms of ecological significance– Ecological changes between 10.4 m3/s and 8 m3/s not

significant• No evidence of adverse effect on instream values at

8 m3/s

Review• Need for rationing?

– Downstream monitoring• Alternative to instantaneous flow to administer

minimum flow?

Proposal• Minimum flow for Class B retained at 8 m3/s• Class B split in two:

– Class B1: Current allocation– Class B2: Remainder of existing Class B with a minimum

flow of 15 m3/s

• Additional environmental flow allocation between B1 and B2– Improve flow variability

• No change in reliability for existing water permits

Existing Class B

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Flow

m3/

s)

Time (days)

Natural FlowFlow after abstraction

Allocation 15 m3/s

Environmental flow

Proposed Class B

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Flow

m3/

s)

Time (days)

Natural Flow

Flow after abstractionClass B1 allocation 8 m3/s

Environmental flow

Class B2 allocation 7 m3/s

Proposal• Class C capped at 20 m3/s• Rationing removed

– Downstream monitoring• Use daily average flow to administer minimum flow• Takes of groundwater continue to be managed as

surface water• Takes from tributaries will attract Wairau minimum

flow and minimum flow for the source river • Provision for municipal supply

Enhanced transfer

•Rachel Anderson (Policy Portfolio Manager)

The issue

• Council unable to allocate water beyond limits• Once allocation limit reached, unable to cater for

additional demand• Significant and serious constraint to growth

Proposal

• Implement a system of enhanced transfer• Remove regulatory barriers to site-to-site

transfer of water within catchment– Permitted activity

• Provides for the potential to move water between users in order to meet additional demand– Long term– Short term

Proposal

• But establish ground rules to prevent perverse outcomes:– Resource not over-allocated– The takes are in the same catchment– An allocation limit is set– Permit is issued under the reviewed RPS/RMP– Use of real time metering data– Transferee holds permit to use water

E-planning

• Digital management of water resources– Consenting– Compliance– Resource Status

• Provision of use information in real time (24 hours)

• Ability for users to identify opportunities to access unutilised water

• Registration of the transfer

Storage

• Rachel Anderson (Policy Portfolio Manager)

The issue

• Demand peaks when flows/levels are at their lowest

• May be insufficient water to meet demand

Management options

• Continue to encourage and enable storage of water

• Continue to provide for abstraction for storage during periods of higher flow (Class C)

• Continue to provide for small dams and reservoirs as a permitted activity

• Provide for abstraction for storage at other times, but only at irrigation rates

Effects of afforestation on water yield

• Val Wadsworth (Surface Water Hydrologist)

The issue

• Identified by WAWG• Water allocated by the Council on the basis of

known existing resource reliability• Afforestation reduces water yield of catchments• Potential to reduce the reliability of existing

water permits• Greatest risk to low - medium altitude

catchments south of the Wairau River

Management options

• Do nothing• Further research to confirm extent of effect• Identify acceptable level of change in river flow• Limits on extent of catchment/property planted

– Transferable entitlements• Encourage or require mitigation of effect (e.g.,

storage)

Next steps…

Notification of RPS and RMP

• Reviewed Marlborough Regional Policy Statement and Resource Management Plan to be notified later this year.

• Will include identification of water allocation and use issues and policies to address issues.

• Any person can make formal submission on the provisions

• Submitters can be heard in person• Council must make a decision on submissions

Informal feedback

• Council to confirm provisions prior to notification• Seeking feedback from water users and others

with an interest in water resources– Feedback form

• Draft RPS/RMP provisions available from Council website from 1 June

• Available to answer questions/provide further information

MeetingsDay 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm

Mon 11 May Wairau Aquifer - GeneralGiesen’s Sports Centre, Renwick

Tue 12 May Wairau Aquifer - SpringsScenic Circle, Blenheim

Southern SpringsFairhall Hall

Wed 13 May Wairau Aquifer – CoastalTuamarina Hall

Thu 14 May Wairau River (above Waihopai) Wairau Valley Hall

Fri 15 May Tuamarina (Tuamarina River)Tuamarina Hall

Mon 18 May Waihopai (incl Omaka)Giesen’s Sports Centre

Tue 19 May Awatere River (incl Blind River)Awatere Memorial Hall

Flaxbourne RiverWard Community Hall

Wed 20 May Riverlands AquiferRiverlands Hall

Southern Valley AquifersFairhall Hall

Thu 21 May Rai (Rai, Ronga, Opouri, Pelorus)Carluke Hall

Havelock (incl Linkwater, Kaituna)Havelock Town Hall

Fri 22 May Wairau River (incl Northbank)Giesen’s Sports Centre