November 28, 2014

MEDIA STATEMENT

Water Shortage Direction for Opihi River and tributaries

A Water Shortage Direction for the Opihi River and its tributaries – which includes the Opuha River and Lake Opuha – will come into force from Monday December 1 for a term of 14 days.

The Direction is needed because of the declining level of storage in Lake Opuha which is expected to fall below 50 per cent on or aroundDecember 1.

In effect the Direction requires all water consent holders linked to the Opuha Dam to reduce their takes to 75 per cent of their consent volume if the lake falls below a storage level of 50 per cent. If rain keeps or pushes Lake Opuha above 50 per cent storage then the restrictions do not apply but the Direction remains current until it expires after 14 days.

The direction also allows Opuha Water Limited – the company that operates Lake Opuha – to reduce the minimum flow in the Opihi River to five cubic metres per second (down from six cubic metres per second) when storage in the lake falls below 50 per cent.

“We welcome the pro-active approach from Opuha Water Limited to the Water Shortage Direction as part of a co-ordinated response to the ongoing dry period in South Canterbury,” said Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury’s Director of Resource Management.

“By acting now Opuha Water Limited is reducing water usage, which will preserve as much storage as possible in the lake, and extend the period that water can be provided for river flows and restricted irrigation.”

Environment Canterbury has authority under Section 329 of the Resource Management Act 1991 to notify the Water Shortage Direction.

Note to reporter:

OEFRAG is the Opuha Environmental Flow Release Advisory Group – a working group comprising representatives from District Councils, local farmers, Opuha Water Ltd, river users and tangata whenua (Arowhenua runanga), established under the Regional Plan to consider matters relating to the operation of Lake Opuha including in times of water shortages. It was through OEFRAG that the Water Shortage Direction was requested.

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