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Latest newsletter Ngaruroro Water Update - April 2011
Due to the expected ongoing demand for the secure supply of water in Hawke’s Bay, community surface water storage opportunities are being investigated in the Ngaruroro Catchment, similar to that being undertaken for the Ruataniwha Plains.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is working on this investigation in partnership with representatives from the Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, Fish and Game, Department of Conservation and the Ngaruroro Irrigators River User group.
Consultants - Tonkin and Taylor have been contracted by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to complete the Ngaruroro Water Storage Prefeasibility Study, with funding assistance from MAF’s Sustainable Farming Fund. The study will scope potential water storage sites, assessing their economic viability and storage potential, as part of a community based water storage scheme. Potential sites have been identified by desk top study only at this stage. This initial work is due for completion by 30 June 2011.
Following completion of the Prefeasibility study, considerable work will need to be carried out to determine the viability of any proposed water storage sites. This work will include environmental, geotechnical, economic, ecological and cultural values assessments and will be dependent on further financial commitment and approval from Council.
Potentially affected landowners have been notified about the project and communication will continue with all stakeholders. No decisions regarding the priority of potential sites have been made, however stakeholders will be informed of any changes as information becomes available.
In August 2010, Consultants - Page Bloomer Associates were commissioned by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to identify alternative options for water management in areas where water resources are under high pressure and irrigation restrictions are looming. The aim of the project is to work with as many irrigators as possible, including those in the Ngaruroro Irrigation Society, to reduce the number of ban days that irrigators face.
A number of methods for rationing irrigation water were discussed at meetings with Ngaruroro consent holders. The option chosen by the irrigators in attendance was to trial a percentage reduction in their actual irrigation take (rationing) as the river approaches minimum flows.
Staff from Regional Council will work with the Ngaruroro Irrigation Society to determine the percentage reduction and to help coordinate actions plans when an irrigation ban is approaching.
This trial is underway now and, depending on the weather conditions for this growing season, preliminary results will be available later in the year. This is a voluntary project. For more information about this trial, please phone Rachel Thomas at Hawke’s Bay Regional Council on 833 8085.
For the purpose of this trial, 'rationing' is where water users reduce their actual irrigation take by a percentage determined by nominated trial members, when river flow rates are approaching ban levels. Council modeling of stream flows suggests that Ngaruroro irrigators may be able to shorten ban periods by 3-4 days if they agree to ration water when bans are approaching.
Water users can view the current river flow by visiting the Hydrotel website www.hbrc.govt.nz/hydrotel. You will need to LOGIN as GUEST then use the tree on the side of the webpage to navigate.
The Ngaruroro Irrigation Society was formally established in March 2010 by a number of resource consent holders who take water from the Ngaruroro River catchment. The purpose of this group is to pool resources, knowledge and skills from their 30 members, when dealing with water matters and consent related issues. The society believes that it is more efficient and effective to act together as a cohesive group rather than as individuals, when dealing with common issues. For more information contact Mike Glazebrook on mike@glazebrooks.co.nz
For more information please email us at waterstorage@hbrc.govt.nz