28 November 2008

Irrigation Bans Start

Hawke's Bay Regional Council has put irrigation bans in force as the dry weather affects flows in streams and rivers.

Irrigation bans were placed on irrigation takes from the upper Ngaruroro River for consents linked to the Whanawhana monitoring site last week. While the ban remains on takes consented at 15000 litres/sec flow, the ban on the lower limit of 12800 l/s has been lifted to a warning status temporarily.

A ban was placed from midnight last night (Thursday) on the Waipawa River for takes with cut off limits of 3000 litres/sec flow limit and above, which affects at least 5 active consents.

This is an earlier ban than last year. The remaining 16 currently active consents on the Waipawa, linked to the lower limit of 2300 l/s, are now on a warning.

Irrigation has also been banned from a number of streams – Karewarewa, Poukawa, Irongate, Te Waikaha, Papanui and the Karamu Stream at the Floodgates.
The Tukituki River site at the Tapairu Road monitoring site and the Tukipo River at the State Highway 50 site are also now both under a warning as levels approach water take cut off limits.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council monitors 27 sites on rivers and streams for low flows limits set in resource consents for irrigation water takes. Water for domestic and stock use does not require a consent. Information on river flows and low flow restrictions can be found on www.hbrc.govt.nz under Online Information.

ENDS

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