Some areas of Otago are becoming dry, and with little rain on the long-term weather forecast Otago Regional Council is asking farmers and other land users to conserve water.

ORC Manager of Environmental Services, Martin King, said, “We want to remind people who irrigate to be mindful of their water use consent conditions and responsibilities, and to actively monitor how much water they are taking.

“Last summer we had a long dry spell and a number of people did voluntary water rostering,” he said. “Thanks to people working together, we avoided the needed to stop water takes.”

“Our team has increased our monitoring of water levels in rivers from monthly to fortnightly so we can make sure our live data is accurate,” Mr King said.

Low river levels can cause river plants and aquatic life to become stressed or die, and can raise river temperatures, potentially encouraging algae growth.

You can find live water flow information at www.orc.govt.nz/waterinfo. Please call us on 0800 800 033 if you have observed low flows that may be impacting on freshwater plants or animals.

© Scoop Media