Regional Council Concerned About Dry Hawke’s Bay Conditions

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is predicting worsening conditions for farmers and growers in the next few weeks, as there is little sign of a significant break in the dry weather. Current conditions are unsettled but without a trend towards a useful period of rain.

The Heretaunga Plains, Ruataniwha Plains and coastal Central Hawke’s Bay areas are particularly affected, but the Wairoa district is also seeing lower than normal rainfall and river flows.

River flows in most areas in April were well below long term averages and irrigation bans are now in place in many areas.

The Regional Council says that farmers and growers should regularly check for river and aquifer levels which are available on the Council’s website www.hbrc.govt.nz.

While Wairoa groundwater levels are stable, the Heretaunga and Ruataniwha aquifers are slowly dropping below normal for this time of the year. They were boosted in March by the February rainfall, but there has been no significant rainfall since then.

Rainfall for April across the region was only 43% of the monthly average, and no significant rain is forecast in the near future. A predicted Low off the coast of Hawke’s Bay did not occur this weekend.

There is very low soil moisture across the region and, given trends over the last few seasons, soil moisture in many areas may not fully recover until the end of July.

Soil temperatures have dropped down to 8-10 deg C and there have been frosts in the plains areas already this May. For farmers the window for establishing winter crops is closing.

Stock numbers around the Bay are lower than normal, and while good amounts of feed resulted from early summer growth, this situation may change quickly, especially with the wider North Island demand.

ENDS

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