Forest and Bird South Canterbury field officer Fraser Ross said finding solutions to improve water quality was important because water extraction and farming consents had been over-allocated for years.
Mr Ross gave a presentation to the Orari-Temuka-Opihi-Pareora (OTOP) zone water management committee during the initial consultation process last month.
He said while Environment Canterbury (ECan) had come up with plans to protect biodiversity in the South Canterbury area in the past, there was now ''so little of it left'' it remained to be seen if the area's biodiversity would improve under new river quality solutions.
''They have not been very proactive until recently.''
Mr Ross said the water quality in many rivers needed to improve, as well as ensuring the tussock grasses in the upper catchments were not removed so more riverside land could be farmed.
''[It is] important they're not further intensifying.''
-By Greta Yeoman