Otago Water Plan - Water Quality Rules

PC6A is about protecting good water quality

while minimising constraints on land uses

and the way rural people manage their land

Kakanui River

Covering…

ORC and management of the Kakanui River:

• Water Quantity – minimum flow regime

• Water quality - The Water Plan & Plan Change 6A

• River form - Kakanui River Morphology Strategy

Water Quantity – minimum flow regime

• Minimum flow of 250 l/sec over summer months imposed by Environment Court in 2003.

• If flows drop below 250 l/sec, river must be left to recharge to 400 l/sec.

• Protects the bottomline ecological health of the river through dry, hot summer months.

Water Quantity – minimum flow regime

Minimum flow is farmer managed

• Kakanui Water Allocation Subcommittee manages flows on behalf of irrigators

• Over 78 consent holders - around 25-30 of these are active irrigation consents.

• Do a great job – efficient and responsive.• Very challenging and stressful for

Subcommittee members

Challenges…

Water Quantity – minimum flow regime

• Enforcement is ultimately ORC responsibility• WAC meets with Kakanui Ratepayers, Fish &

Game, DoC and Iwi once a year• Estuary mouth closure largely due to sea

interaction rather than low flows• Additional flows into estuary from Waiareka

Creek (+100 l/sec)

Water Quality – Regional Plan: Water

• Plan Change 6A is effective now (since

May 2014).

• Effects-based, permitted activity

approach.

• Tough stance on gross discharges.

• The Plan is about protecting good water

quality while minimising constraints on

land uses and the way rural people

manage their land.

Prohibited Rules – Now Permitted Rules - 2020Permitted Rules - Now

Discharge from effluent, silage or composting

Gross discharges to water

Sediment from disturbed land

Schedule 16 discharge thresholds

Overseer – Nitrogen leachingCulverts and Crossings

Sediment to surface water

Bed Disturbance

Stock access to waterways

Water Plan – Overview of the rules

Gross discharges to water

Prohibited to discharge

• Objectionable odour, oil, grease film, scum or foam into water

Discharge from effluent, silage or composting

Prohibited to discharge

• Directly to a waterway

• To a bore or soakhole• To land within 50

metres of a river, lake, wetland or bore

• To saturated soils• Causing ponding

Sediment Rules

• Two key rules;• Prohibited rule,• Permitted rule.

• Applies now and applies 24/7.

Prohibited sediment rule

Sediment mitigation from disturbed land required.

Permitted rule

Where sediment enters rivers & streams avoid:

• Conspicuous change in colour or clarity

Sediment - Permitted rule

Where sediment enters rivers & streams avoid:

• Sedimentation on the bed

Permitted rule - Bridges and Crossings

Working in waterways

• There are a few permitted activity situations (subject to conditions) but most often people will need a consent to work in a waterway – ask!

• The rules apply to everyone – landowners, managers and contractors.

Stock access to waterways

• No slumping, pugging or erosion

• No feeding out on a river bed or wetland

• No change in visual colour or clarity

• No damage to fauna or flora

Stock access to waterways

2020 - Surface and ground water discharges

• Sets surface water discharge thresholds - nitrogen, phosphorus, E.coli (Schedule 16)

• Sets limits for ground water discharges (nitrogen) estimated using OVERSEER 6

• Rules apply in 2020

• Asking farmers to start measuring now - allow time to make changes on farm

When do surface water discharge thresholds apply?

• When the local reference river is at or below median flow

• Find real time and median flow data on the ORC website - Water Info page

Which flow sites?

• Kakanui at Clifton Falls

• Waianakarua at Browns Pump

• Shag at Craig Road

• Waikouaiti at Confluence

When does it apply?See Water Info www.orc.govt.nz

What are the surface discharge thresholds my sample must meet?

Threshold Nitrite- nitrate-nitrogen

Dissolved reactive phosphorus

Ammoniacal nitrogen

E.Coli

Area 1 3.6 mg/L 0.045 mg/L 0.2 mg/L 550 cfu/100 ml

Area 2 (North Otago)

1.0 mg/L 0.035 mg/L 0.2 mg/L 550 cfu/100ml

Surface water discharges – where to measure

Surface water discharges – where to measure

How do I take a sample? – Ask!

• Identify sites• Ring lab order sampling kit• Order courier• Chill pad into freezer• Sample• Record site activities• Send away by courier• Check results against

thresholds• Identify if any changes

required

• OVERSEER® is a computer program that models nutrient movements on a farm scale

• Used in Otago Water Plan rules to manage nutrient leaching to groundwater

• Landowners have to supply information for Overseer on request

Nitrogen loading zones - Overseer

Kakanui-Kauru Aquifer Nitrogen Sensitive Zone

What are ORC expectations of landholders?

• Take responsibility for water on your property

• Comply with the Prohibited and Permitted rules now

• Start asking/checking/measuring now

• Run an Overseer budget and compare to nitrogen zone limit

• Allow yourself time to make changes (2020)

ORC and Plan Change 6A

• ORC is enforcing the rules now (including Dairy inspections)

• ORC is also working with farmers and industry to:

- Monitor implementation of the rules

- Assist interpretation of the rules

- Share good practice information

- Provide guidance for consent applications

- Give feedback on what is happening in the field

• Farmers and industry are engaging positively

River form: Kakanui River Morphology Strategy

Kakanui River Morphology Strategy

• Developed to protect the recreational, cultural and ecological values, and to enable long-term, sustainable use of the land alongside the river.

• Guides (non-statutory) decision-making in and around the river• Includes overview of main drivers/impacts on river and

riparian form and function• Gathers community values• Highlights useful initiatives e.g. targeted gravel extraction, river

access, and tree planting• Check it out!

Summary - ORC and the Kakanui River

• We (everyone) have a PLAN to address river issues:

Water Quantity = Minimum Flow regime

Water Quality = The Water Plan (6A)

River Form = Kakanui River Morphology & Riparian

Management Strategy

• Want to know more? Ask!

Otago Regional Council70 Stafford StreetPrivate Bag 1954Dunedin

Phone:  03 474-0827Free: 0800 474 082Fax:       03  477-9837

Thank you