The purpose of this Plan is to:
“…promote the sustainable management of rivers, lakes and hydraulically connected groundwater, and river and lake beds in the Waimakariri River Catchment; to maintain and enhance the environment; and to achieve integrated management of these resources.”
Read the current Waimakariri River Regional Plan
The purpose of this Plan is to:
“…promote the sustainable management of rivers, lakes and hydraulically connected groundwater, and river and lake beds in the Waimakariri River Catchment; to maintain and enhance the environment; and to achieve integrated management of these resources.”
In particular, the Plan addresses the issues of:
- Competition for the use of water in the Waimakariri River, its tributaries and hydraulically connected groundwater
- The use of water from the Waimakariri River to augment flows in the Cust River to safeguard its life supporting capacity
- Point and non-point source discharges of contaminants to water bodies in the Waimakariri River Catchment
- Land uses or activities in the beds of rivers and lakes in the Waimakariri River Catchment.
The Waimakariri River Regional Plan (WRRP) became operative on 23 October 2004. It sets out the objectives, policies, and methods for resolving resource management issues within the catchment of the Waimakariri River.
Read the plan (pdf 2 MB)
Proposed Change 1
Public notification
The public notification process to change the Waimakariri River Regional Plan commenced Saturday 8 August 2009.
The Waimakariri River Regional Plan manages the allocation of water in the Waimakariri Catchment (and stream depleting groundwater) for abstraction. The changes affect abstraction from the mainstem of the river. The main changes are:
- To introduce a "gap" between the A and B Block of 30 m3s-1 and a B Block size of 40 m3s-1;
- To introduce a rule requiring temporary cessation of water takes when a fresh comes through after a period of low flows (which will apply to both A and B block consent holders); and
- A proposal to move the flow recorder site from Old Highway Bridge to Otarama.
- There are other minor or consequential changes to improve plan implementation.
Notification documents:
Summary of Decisions Requested
The Summary of Decisions Requested was notified on the 10th October 2009. The closing date for further submissions was Friday 13 November 2009.
Summary of Decisions Requested (without original submissions) (pdf 524 kB)
Summary of Decisions Requested (with original submissions) (pdf 26.4 mB)
Summary of Decisions Requested Public Notice (pdf 33 kB)
Letter to Stakeholders (pdf 14 kB)
Further information
More information
Read the Media Release of 30 July 2009.
- Technical reports
- Technical memorandums
Consultation
During May 2009, Environment Canterbury consulted with key interest groups and individuals on issues for the draft plan change. This included meetings with individuals and groups in various locations. A brief summary of the issues raised by the WRRP consultation to date is provided in the following document:
Consultation Issues Summary (pdf 77 kB)
Staff prepared feedback to Council and on 30 July 2009 they endorsed the plan change to be publicly notified.
Contacts
Please direct any queries to Lynda Weastell on 03 372 7075 or Matthew McCallum-Clark on 027 221 3363.