Pre-consultation Draft Regional Implementation Programme Content on the Hurunui-Waiau Zone
Table 1: Regionally Significant CWMS Features and Recommendations
This version of the paper includes the following:
o
o
o
Track change highlights in yellow are from the working group.
Track change highlights in green are from the 21 June meeting.
Other track changes are suggestions from the Facilitator to provide clarity to statements
Please note that not all members of the working group have had an opportunity to agree final wordings included in paper by the
Facilitator due to short timescales, however, the structure and intent is as discussed.
Regionally significant features
1. Ecosystem health / biodiversity
a. Relatively unmodified ecosystem of
Lake Sumner
b. The ecosystems and biodiversity of
the Hurunui River catchment
c. The ecosystems and biodiversity of
the Waiau River catchment
d. Trout and salmon spawning sites in
Hurunui and Waiau Rivers
e. Biodiversity and ecosystems of
Hapua and coastal lagoons
Recommendation in RIP
Responsibility /
Timetable
1.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
that:
1.1.1 Modification of Lake Sumner can only be considered if:
1.1.1.1 Strategic water storage in the Waitohi Valley is not able to proceed
1.1.1.2 And alternative strategic water storage options in the Hurunui catchment are not
able to proceed
1.1.1.3 And that the high/special values of Lake Sumner are maintained or where
possible enhanced, recognising in the Canterbury context its relatively
unmodified ecosystem and its naturally functioning levels and flow regimes
1.1.2 Modification of the Hurunui River catchment can only be considered if:
1.1.2.1 The overall value of the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Hurunui River
catchment are maintained and where possible enhanced
1.1.2.2 And modification of the South Branch can only be considered if
1.1.2.2.1 Strategic water storage in the Waitohi Valley is not able to proceed
1.1.2.2.2 And alternative strategic water storage options in the Hurunui
catchment are not able to proceed
1.1.2.2.3 And the South Branch’s contribution to the ecosystems and
biodiversity of the Hurunui River catchment is maintained, or where
1.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
Regionally significant features
Recommendation in RIP
1.1.3
1.1.4
1.1.5
2. Braided Rivers
a. The Hurunui braided river including
the whole riparian corridor from
unmodified high country catchments
to hapua
b. The Waiau braided river including
the whole riparian corridor from
unmodified high country catchments
to hapua
c. Braided river nesting birds (Black
billed gulls, black fronted terns,
wrybill) populations
3. Kaitiakitanga
Responsibility /
Timetable
possible enhanced
Modification of the Waiau River catchment is acceptable only if there are no significant
adverse impacts on the health and biodiversity
A whole catchment management approach must ensure sufficient water quality,
quantity, and environmental flows to maintain and enhance the biodiversity of the Hapua
and coastal lagoons
Ecosystem modifcation affecting trout and salmon spawning sites is acceptable only if
modification protects and enhances the overall viability of salmonid populations and
spawning areas in the catchments
2.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
that:
2.1.1 Modification of the Hurunui braided river can only be considered if:
2.1.1.1 The overall value of the Hurunui braided river is maintained and where possible
enhanced, including environmental flows necessary to maintain braided river
features
2.1.1.2 And dams on the main stem of the river are prohibited
2.1.1.3 And modification of the South Branch can only be considered if
2.1.1.3.1 Strategic water storage in the Waitohi Valley is not able to proceed
2.1.1.3.2 And alternative strategic water storage options in the Hurunui
catchment are not able to proceed
2.1.1.3.3 And the South Branch’s contribution to the overall value of the
Hurunui braided river is maintained, or where possible enhanced
2.1.2 Modification of the Waiau River is acceptable only if the braided river characteristics are
maintained or enhanced, including environmental flows necessary to maintain braided
river features. Dams on the main stem of the river should be prohibited.
2.1.3 Modification of braided river systems is acceptable only if populations of braided river
nesting bird populations (including Black billed gulls, black fronted terns, wrybill) are
protected or enhanced
2.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
Regionally significant features
Recommendation in RIP
Responsibility /
Timetable
5.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
that:
5.1.1 The high quality, quantity and diversity of recreation and amentity opportunities
associated with water in the Hurunui Waiau Zone must be protected
5.1.2 Modification of the Waiau River is acceptable only if suitability of river conditions for jet
boating are maintained
5.1.3 Modification of the Hurunui River is acceptable only if suitability of river conditions for
white water sports are maintained
5.1.4 Modification of the upper catchments and estuaries of the Hurunui and Waiau is
acceptable only if modification protects or enhances the overall salmonid fishery of each
river system
5.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
6.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
that:
6.1.1 Any integrated water management solution must ensure good management practice
water use efficiency, and monitor and report on effectiveness
6.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
7.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
that:
7.1.1 Any development proposal should not limit the ability to achieve the goal of increasing
7.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Reworked Kaitiakitanga section to be
added
4. Drinking water standards
No regionally significant features
identified
5. Recreation and amenity
a. The high quality, quantity and
diversity of recreation and amenity
opportunities associated with water
in the Hurunui Waiau Zone
b. Jet boating on the Waiau River
c. White water sports on the Hurunui
River
d. Salmonid fisheries in the Upper
catchments and esturaries of the
Hurunui and Waiau Rivers
6. Water use efficiency
a. Opportunity to demonstrate good
management practice water use
efficiency
7. Irrigated land area
a. Potential to increase irrigated land
area by up to 70,000 hectares (net)
Regionally significant features
Recommendation in RIP
7.1.2
irrigated land area by up to 70,000 hectares (net) and not compromise the overall
viability of the approach to meet other targets
Large scale storage and distribution infrastructure is required within the Zone to optimise
irrigated land area and to meet all CWMS targets
8. Energy security and efficiency
a. Potential contribution of Hurunui and 8.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
Waiau catchments for run of river
that:
and storage led generation
8.1.1 Any integrated water management solution should provide for potential hydroelectric
generation
9. Indicators of regional and national economies
a. Potential economic contribution of
9.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan recognises
up to 70,000 additional hectares
that:
(net) of irrigated land
9.1.1 Opportunities to maximise the contribution effective water management in Hurunui
b. Potential additional economic
Waiau Zone can make to the wider economy should be part of an integrated approach
contribution from further water
9.1.2 An “ecosystems services” assessment should be undertaken and periodically reviewed
based recreation now and in the
to benchmark the economic value of the water environment to the wider economy and
future
demonstrate increased contribution of the Hurunui Waiau Zone at a Canterbury wide
c. Potential contribution of
level
hydroelectric generation
9.1.3 As the location of new large scale water storage and transfer instructure can have
d. Potential additional economic
positive and/or negative effects on tourism, any new development should make a
contribution from protected and
neutral or positive economic benefit to tourism in Canterbury
enhanced biodiversity
e. Maintenance of Hanmer Springs as
a regionally important tourist
destination
10. Environmental limits
a. Opportunity to demonstrate that
catchment nutrient load limits can
be adhered to by improving,
changing, and adapting integrated
10.1 The Regional Committee recommends that the Hurunui Waiau Regional Plan
recognises that:
10.2 The nutrient management practices of all current and future, land and water users must
be improved, changed, and/or adapted in an integrated approach that adheres to
Responsibility /
Timetable
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
8.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
9.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
in Sep 2011
10.1
Environment
Canterbury:
Plan notification
Regionally significant features
Recommendation in RIP
nutrient management practices of
current and future consent holders
b. Opportunity to demonstrate that
environmental flows can be
maintained or enhanced through an
integrated water management
approach including new strategic
water storage and distribution
infrastructure
catchment nutrient load limits
10.3 The integrated water management approach including new strategic water storage and
distribution infrastructure, must maintain or enhance environmental flows
Responsibility /
Timetable
in Sep 2011
Table 2: Hurunui-Waiau Zone Specific Position
1. The Regional Committee;
1.1 has identified regionally significant Canterbury Water Management
Strategy (CWMS) features in the Hurunui Waiau Zone and made
recommendations as to how these should be managed locally to ensure
CWMS Priorities and Targets are met at a Canterbury wide level (see
Table 1)
1.2 notes and commends the collaborative working approach and extensive
community consultation undertaken by the Hurunui Waiau Zone
Committee in preparing a consultation draft Zone Implementation
Programme (ZIP)
1.3 is supportive of an integrated water storage and supply infrastructure
solution that is self contained within the Hurunui Waiau Zone
1.4 is supportive of the “no-go” areas currently identified in the consultation
draft Hurunui Waiau ZIP1
1.5 and has identified specific values and criteria relating to any modification
of Lake Sumner as a regionally significant feature, and any modification of
the South Branch as an important component of the regionally significant
Hurunui River
2. is supportive of Environment Canterbury, Hurunui District Council and other
relevant parties seeking and obtaining funding to enable sufficient technical,
feasibility and cost information to be obtained for the options proposed for
Waitohi Valley in order for these options and the South Branch/Lake Sumner
proposals to be assessed on comparable bases of information
3. is supportive of an integrated water management approach including strategic
water storage in the Waitohi Valley, as outlined in the consultation draft
Hurunui Waiau ZIP as the preferred option which (subject to the information
gathering and comparison proposed above) appears to be most likely to give
effect to the Regional Committee’s recommendations on regionally significant
CWMS features in the Hurunui Waiau Zone
1
Extract from Hurunui Waiau draft ZIP
12.1.6
The Zone Committee does not support major water storage reservoirs in the any
Excluded areas for major water
of the following locations:
storage reservoirs
 mainstems of Waiau River including Boyle and Hope Rivers;
 all tributaries of Waiau, Boyle and Hope Rivers, above Hope-Waiau
Confluence;
 mainstem of Hurunui River below the South Branch confluence.
The Zone Committee will work with developers and other parties to progress
other water reservoir options.