Media Release

15 January 2015

Watch on Dry Conditions

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff are monitoring the current dry conditions across Hawke’s Bay.

HBRC’s state of the environment reporting shows rainfall was near normal for December on average across the region, but some parts of the region have had no rain, or very little, for 4 weeks or more.

Soil moisture levels are low which is evidenced by the dry, brown hillsides around the region. There would need to be approximately 75 mm of rain to get pasture growth starting again.

Aquifer levels are dropping and are already low in some areas.

River flows have been below normal for 3 months or more for most of the region’s rivers, although rainfall in the ranges has been some help by boosting flows into the headwaters of the main rivers. HBRC staff are keeping a close eye on river levels and some irrigation takes set at certain flow limits are already on ban.

If there is no significant rainfall, irrigators can expect more bans to come into force over the coming weeks. Consent holders can get up-to-date information on low flows on www.hbrc.govt.nz – click on Low Flows on the home page or keep a watch on the River Levels section.

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