Variation 4 to Chapter 5 of the proposed Natural Resources Regional Plan has two principal components:

• Changes to the boundaries of some Canterbury Groundwater Allocation Zone limits in Schedule WQN1, based on the latest information on geology, water catchment and recharge areas, including:
  • Waipara (zone limits last altered October 21 2006)
  • Mayfield-Hinds & Valetta
  • Selwyn-Waimakariri
  • South Canterbury, all zones south of Timaru
  • Waitaki, Hakataramea and MacKenzie basin zones – consideration of these as separate groundwater zones has been superseded by their inclusion in the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan (Waitaki Plan)

• Inclusion of the annual allocation block for each zone in the proposed NRRP.

Variation 4 was notified on 23 June 2007. Submissions closed on 3 August 2007 and 110 submission were received. Further submissions closed on 14 November 2007. Variation 4 was incorporated into the Variation 1 hearing process.

Stage in the Variation process: Deliberations.