Zone: Christchurch - West Melton Status: (Special)

Work is currently being undertaken to determine a comprehensive water management regime for the Christchurch-West Melton area. A flow regime has already been proposed for the Avon River/Otakaro and Heathcote River, and has a groundwater management regime for the Woolston/Heathcote groundwater management area. The details of these are included in Schedule WQN1.3 for the flow regime, and Policy WQN10 and Schedule WQN3 for the groundwater management regime, in the NRRP Chapter 5: Water Quantity. Additional to this, a groundwater model has been developed and is being used to formulate possible groundwater management scenarios to complement the flow and level regimes already proposed.

The groundwater management regime will be based on a “third order” approach given the greater level of understanding of the groundwater resource in this area. This is likely to lead to delineating sub-zones and proposing more specific management approaches for those. For example, in the area around the spring discharge zones of the Avon River/Otakaro and Heathcote River, the Discussion Draft NRRP 2001 proposed water level and allocation regimes for delineated groundwater restriction zones. Zones of this nature are likely to be proposed for the groundwater management regime. In addition, an overall allocation limit is likely to be proposed for the whole Christchurch West Melton Groundwater Allocation Zone.

Consultation on the groundwater management regime is expected to begin in 2005, with the intention that the groundwater management regime be incorporated into the NRRP via a Variation to Schedule WQN3 in Chapter 5 late in 2005.

Allocation status

Applications to take and use groundwater in the zone are likely to be notified unless it can be shown that localised and cumulative adverse effects are minor and no person would be adversely affected. Water levels in the West Melton Special Zone will be applicable. Within Zone 1 of the Christchurch Groundwater Recharge Zone (see NRRP Map Volume – Part 1 Planning Maps), where it is proposed to use water to irrigate previously un-irrigated areas, applicants must consider point 2 below.

Applicants need to be aware of the following matters already in Chapter 5 of the proposed NRRP:

1. Policy WQN10 and Schedule WQN3 of Chapter 5 NRRP sets out a management regime for the Woolston/Heathcote groundwater management zones.
2. The use of water for irrigation as a new activity is either a discretionary activity under Rule WQN31 or a non-complying activity under Rule WQN32, and will be subject to meeting the requirements of Policy WQL12 in Chapter 4 NRRP. This policy aims to protect water quality from contamination by not allowing an increase in the area of irrigated land on a property after 3 July 2004 unless the volume authorized for irrigation use is not increased beyond the volume authorized at 3 July 2004 and the rate and application of irrigation water meets the reasonable use test set out in Policy WQN17.

Other available information sources

Environment Canterbury 2000: Our water in the balance; Christchurch/West Melton rivers and groundwater – Report R01/1 ISBN 1-86937-401-0

Environment Canterbury 2001: Discussion Draft Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan Chapter 5: Water Quantity October 2001

NRRP Map Volume – Part 1 Planning Maps