12 April 2013

Lower Waitaki Zone Committee meeting

The Lower Waitaki – South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee will meet in Waimate for its monthly public meeting on Wednesday, 17 April.

The committee will begin the meeting with an update from the Regional Committee which considers region-wide issues of environmental restoration and repair; land use impacts on water quality; as well as water storage, distribution and efficiency options.

The committee will then go on to elect its Chair and Deputy Chair, and Regional Committee Representative, having decided to elect its representatives on an annual basis.

Now the committee’s Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management has been finalised and endorsed by councils, the focus for the committee is on implementing its recommendations.

In particular, the committee is focussed on developing outcomes for water quantity and water quality limits as part of sub-regional planning processes for the zone.

The sub-regional chapter will supersede the default water quantity and water quality limits in Environment Canterbury’s Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) for South Coastal Canterbury.

The LWRP will start with default limits for water use, water allocation, and nutrients, and then put the limits in a catchment context. The zone committee’s focus is on building its understanding of the impacts of limits (via scenario testing) so it can make technically and socially informed recommendations.

At Wednesday’s meeting the committee will receive a presentation from Environment Canterbury’s planning team, and determine how it will involve the community in the planning process.

At the meeting the committee will also consider two projects to receive Immediate Steps biodiversity funding. The projects involve fencing, planting, and weed control to protect local lowland streams and wetlands. To date, the zone committee has committed more than $340,000 to local projects.

Immediate Steps is a $10m programme for biodiversity which has been introduced as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. It covers maintenance of Canterbury’s braided rivers, providing habitat for native flora and fauna, as well as protecting wetlands and other ecosystems.

The Lower Waitaki - South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee operates as a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Waimate and Waitaki District Councils. The zone extends from the Otaio catchment in the north, to the Waitaki Dam in the south, taking in Waimate, Kurow and Duntroon.

Committee meetings are typically held on the third Wednesday of each month. They are open to the public. Attendees are given an opportunity to contribute, if they wish.

Lower Waitaki – South Coastal Canterbury Zone Committee meeting
1:30pm, Wednesday, 17April 2013
Waimate District Council Chambers, Queens Street, Waimate.

Link to agenda: http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Council/lower-waitaki-zcm-170413.pdf

ENDS

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