New operative rules for livestock access

The Natural Resources Regional Plan became operative on 11 June 2011 and introduced new policies and rules controlling discharges to water and disturbance of the bed by livestock. The following summarises the key provisions.

From 11 June 2011

From 11 June 2011 livestock access to a river, lake or wetland is allowed without resource consent provided the livestock:

• Do not cause clearly visible pugging or trampling of soil, areas of bare ground or an abundance of faeces on the banks or in the bed of the river or lake, or in the wetland
• Do not cause a conspicuous change to the colour or clarity of the water*
• Do not cause the concentration of E.coli bacteria in the water to exceed 500 per 100 millilitres*
  *assessed at 20 metres from the livestock in a river, or 10 metres from the livestock in a lake or wetland

From 11 June 2012

From 11 June 2012 the following prohibitions apply:

• Discharges or disturbance of the bed by dairy cattle or farmed pigs are prohibited in all rivers, lakes and wetlands
• Discharges or disturbance of the bed by cattle, farmed pigs and farmed deer are prohibited in:
  • A Spring-fed plains river (i.e. lowland spring-fed stream)
    [These rivers are identified on NRRP Planning Maps Series A]

• A river bed within 1 kilometre upstream from an intake for a Community Drinking Water Supply
  [These intakes are listed in NRRP Chapter 4 Schedule WQL2 Table WQL19 page 4-301]

• A river or lake bed within 1 kilometre from a Freshwater Bathing Area
  [Bathing Areas are listed in NRRP Chapter 4 page 4-314 Schedule WQL7]

• A significant salmon spawning reach
  [Significant salmon spawning reaches are listed in NRRP Chapter 5 Schedule WQN14 page 5-297]

• An inanga (whitebait) spawning area
  [Inanga spawning areas are listed in NRRP Chapter 5 Schedule WQN17 page 5-302]

• Discharges or disturbance by livestock* contained for break-feeding or grazed on irrigated land, adjacent to a river, lake or wetland are prohibited in that river, lake or wetland
  [* including cattle, sheep, deer, horses, pigs, goats, lama, alpacas ]

Read the regional plan provisions

The NRRP Chapter 4 Water quality policy and rule controlling discharges and disturbance are: Policy WQL5.1 (page 4-51) and Rule WQL21 (page 4-160)

Failure to comply with the new rules around livestock access to waterways could result in an abatement notice or an enforcement order being issued by Environment Canterbury.

Advice on limiting livestock access to waterways

Limiting livestock access to waterways is a good option and may require new permanent or temporary fences, and new bridges or culverts for stock crossings.

Changing stock management techniques may also be needed, including restricting access to stock water points on rivers, lakes and wetlands.

Reticulated stock water systems may also be required. For more information on how to manage streams and waterways, visit: Farming Advice and Information.