3 June 2007
Resource Consents Manager
Environment Canterbury
P O Box 345
CHRISTCHURCH

Submission on an Application for a Resource Consent

Group No. 553: South Canterbury Irrigation Trust and Meridian Energy – Hunter Downs Irrigation Scheme

Submission

Otago Fish & Game Council is opposed to resource consent applications numbers CRC 071029 to take and use water from the lower Waitaki Catchment.

Fish and Game wishes to be heard in support of this submission.

Reasons for the Submission

Fish and Game is opposed to the granting of these consents because:

• There is a recently approved regional water plan for the Waitaki Catchment that was the result of an extensive public consultation and hearings process.

• The resultant plan – the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan – sets minimum flows, flow sharing arrangements and caps on irrigation, (amongst other things) in order to protect the outstanding trout and salmon fisheries, recreational amenity values, wildlife and fisheries values generally, and more broadly the natural character of the lower Waitaki River as a big braided river..

• The lower Waitaki River and its tributaries contain nationally important sports fisheries for both sea run salmon and for trout (brown and rainbow). It provides a unique ‘big river’ setting for recreational use which is unlike any other East coast, South Island braided river.

• Reductions in minimum flows from those set in the plan will undermine the integrity of the plan and directly affect the river’s outstanding natural values. There will be indirect adverse effects as well through a reduction in the flowing water available in-river to dilute nutrient enriched irrigation returns, thus compounding lower river water quality problems and potentially degrading water quality in Lake Wainono and associated wetlands.

• Increases in irrigation will result in increased non-point discharges to waterways adjacent to the irrigated area concerned. There nutrient enriched returns will adversely impact on surface water quality, fisheries and amenity values

• There is a lack of certainty and standards of protection to be achieved regarding fish screening.
• The future of existing water takes within the 40000 ha command area is not addressed in the event of the Scheme being granted consent. Some waterways in the command area are under severe pressure from abstractors, however there is no commitment to restoration or relief of these natural waters as a result of the scheme operating.

Outcome Sought

Fish and Game requests that Environment Canterbury decline the consents.

Yours faithfully

Niall Watson

Chief Executive