Irrigation bans as late summer dries

Irrigation bans have been placed on water takes at from the Waipawa and Tukituki River.

The bans on the Waipawa River apply to all water takes except those linked to the lowest flow limit of 2300 litres/sec. The river flow was assessed this week at 2574 l/s.

Bans on the Tukituki at this stage, are only for takes with low flow limits of 5000 l/s and 3000l/s at the Tapairu Road monitoring site. Consents set to lower limits in the Tukituki and at other monitoring sites in the Tukituki catchment are still able to take water. The river flow this week at Tapairu Rd was assessed at 2362 l/s.

Bans are still on for water takes from the Ngaruroro at Whanawhana, which are chiefly for frost protection purposes and dam/reservoir filling. Further downstream the river is still on a warning status.

Bans are also on the Maraekakaho, Te Waikaha and Mangateretere Streams.

Consent holders are advised to check the conditions of their resource consents and be aware of low flows.

Information is updated at least weekly on the Regional Council’s website – go to www.hbrc.govt.nz under WhatWeDo >Water >LowFlows.