24 August 2018

In response to questions from organisations and community members that arose during discussion on the minimum flows plan change, Otago Regional Council’s Policy team have released a memorandum which details the history of primary allocation in Schedule 2A of the Water Plan.

The purpose of the memorandum is to clarify how the primary allocation limit of 3200 litres per second (l/s) for the Manuherikia River was set in Schedule 2A of the Water Plan. The current primary allocation limit for the Manuherikia catchment of 3200l/s was put in place as the result of an Environment Court decision in 2003.

The Environment Court set a primary allocation limit through a consensus building exercise. Parties involved in this exercise included Otago Fish & Game, Otago Water Resource Users Group, the Department of Conservation, the Maniototo Irrigation Company and Federated Farmers. A minimum flow for the Manuherikia River of 820 l/s was also reached by consensus at this time. These updates were included as part of the Operative Regional Water Plan (2004).

As the Manuherikia River is currently fully-allocated no further provision has been made to allocate more water as primary allocation for the Manuherikia catchment.

This Plan Change will not be addressing allocation which will be addressed at a later date.

Minimum flows website: https://yoursay.orc.govt.nz/minimumflows

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