Ashburton Zone Water Management Committee focuses on proposed land-use rules

The Ashburton Water Management Zone Committee will meet for the first time this year on Tuesday 26 January to discuss how new land-use rules will affect local land-users.

The committee will receive a report from Environment Canterbury on the Nutrient Management and Waitaki Plan Change to the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP).

The proposed Plan Change includes new region-wide nutrient management rules relating to land used for farming, and the zone committee will consider how it affects land-users in the Ashburton zone.

It requires land-users to implement Good Management Practices, and farming activities requiring resource consent will need Farm Environment Plans. The Plan Change also addresses phosphorus management and is expected to be notified for public consultation in February.

At the meeting the committee will also review and prioritise its five-year outcomes to improve water quality. The priorities, developed with the community, include; improving and protecting the natural character and mauri of Hakatere/Ashburton River, improving health and biodiversity of the river, and protecting and improving the water quality.

The committee has determined practical ways to achieve these goals in the next five years and developed milestones to meet each year.

Tuesday’s meeting will also be the first for new committee member William Thomas who was appointed to the zone committee at the end of last year as part of a refreshment process to ensure new perspectives are reflected. The committee will consider appointing a chair, deputy chair and regional committee representative for 2016.

The committee will finish the meeting by discussing the latest water monitoring results for the Ashburton River and discuss the effects of the dry period on the local water resource, and what this means for farmers.

For the meeting agenda and further details http://ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/canterburywater/committees/ashburton/Pages/Default.aspx

Meeting details

Ashburton Water Zone Committee meeting

26 January 2016, 1pm

Council Meeting Room, 2 Baring Square East, Ashburton

ENDS

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