Pareora River Plan shows value of community participation

More than two years of learning about South Canterbury’s Pareora River and its communities comes to fruition in a week’s time with the release of the Pareora River Plan.

“Significantly, this plan has the support of the wider community, who have come together with a common goal of ensuring the river’s future viability,” said Environment Canterbury commissioner Peter Skelton. “It’s a momentous step forward.”

The review of the river’s flow and its resource allocation, initiated by Environment Canterbury, was prompted by the fact that the river had reached its environmental bottom line, he said.

“This is a good example of how we can go forward in Canterbury in managing water. It emphasises the need for communities to work together to achieve long-term, sustainable solutions without the need for expensive litigation. It’s a very similar approach to that being taken by the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, where zone committees will be responsible for recommending ways forward on environmental and development options.”

As the supply for half of Timaru District’s domestic and industrial water supplies, historically a renowned trout fishery, source of water for farmers and of significant value to tangata whenua, the Pareora has many groups interested in its future.
“People need to sustain their livelihoods but they also acknowledge the need to redress the environmental balance, biodiversity and cultural values,” said Commissioner Skelton.

“A community advisory group was set up by Environment Canterbury following a public meeting at the end of 2007 in the Southburn Hall,” said Judith Earl-Goulet, resource care team leader at Environment Canterbury’s Timaru office and steering group facilitator. “This included representatives of Te Runanga o Arowhenua, Forest and Bird, Fish and Game, Timaru and Waimate District Councils, local residents from throughout the catchment, irrigators and recreationalists.

“A steering group of 12 members, covering that diversity of interests, then began the detailed work of considering technical reports and water management options. This was an intensive and collaborative process with everyone contributing to discussions and recommendations and with communication back to the people they represented.

“There was agreement from group members that water allocation in the Pareora catchment had to be addressed. At the end of the day, a unanimous position was reached which involved concessions from everyone. All parties have "given something" to the process,” said Ms Earl-Goulet.

Essentially the following trade-off is being proposed:
there is to be a cap on new consents
there is to be a reduction in October and November of the amount of water abstracted by irrigators and Timaru District Council.

In return:
Irrigators are to have greater access to flood flows, which will encourage on-farm storage.

The review of the river’s flow regime is part of a wider programme of flow and water allocation reviews throughout the region, under Section 65 of the Resource Management Act. Flow plans can be tailored to address catchment-specific issues and the needs of the local community.

The Proposed Pareora Catchment Environmental Flow and Water Allocation Regional Plan will be publicly notified on Saturday August 7. It was approved by Council commissioners at today’s July monthly meeting. Submissions on the Proposed Pareora Catchment Environmental Flow and Water Allocation Regional Plan open on Saturday August 7 and close on Friday October 1.

Commissioner Skelton noted that the rules in the proposed plan become legally effective as of August 7.

For further information:
Peter Skelton, Environment Canterbury Commissioner: 0276 361 728 or
Judith Earl-Goulet, Environment Canterbury Resource Care team leader – south: 03 687 7824 or 027 687 6248.

NB Media: There is a lot more detall on this in the council agenda: http://ecan.govt.nz/news-and-notices/minutes/pages/council-agenda-290710.aspx