Harvesting water during high flows is being proposed by three farmers in the Hakataramea Valley to overcome a shortage of water.
Yesterday, they put their proposals to an Environment Canterbury (ECan) hearings panel which is considering applications from six farmers or companies wanting 21 resource consents which could double the existing irrigated area in the valley.
The proposals involve harvesting water from tributaries feeding the Hakataramea River, utilising high flows and flood flows to store water in dams or ponds which would irrigate about 1000ha.
One applicant, Nat Small, is proposing to harvest water during high flows for his irrigation scheme in the Hakataramea Valley.
He has applied to build a 23m high dam to store 2.6 million cubic metres of water in a lake covering 42ha, which he would use to irrigate 275ha of his 4200ha property.
The new irrigation scheme would divert water from Grampians Stream into the dam in a natural gorge in Mortens Creek, providing water for crops and pasture to graze sheep, beef cattle, deer and non-milking dairy cows.
Mr Small applied for four resource consents - three for the diversion, damming and taking of water, and one to excavate and disturb the bed of Mortens Creek to construct the dam.
Environmental engineering consultant Keri Johnston said the consents could be granted, but ECan environmental consultant Claire Penman said she could not recommend they be granted.
Ms Penman raised issues over assessments that had been carried out on matters including water quality, minimum flows, flood-carrying capacity, bank erosion and stability.
Two other applicants - Star Holdings Ltd and R. W. and M. E. Sutton - dealt with yesterday also proposed harvesting water during times of high flows, storing it and then using it for irrigation.
Star Holdings applied for six consents to take water from Station Stream, storing up to 500,000cu m to irrigate up to 600ha of crops and pasture for grazing sheep, beef cattle, deer and non-milking dairy cows on Broadacres and Caberfiedh Stations.
Bob Sutton applied for one consent to increase the water taken from Avonlea Stream and an unnamed tributary during high flows to store up to 123,500cu m of water to improve reliability of supply for irrigating up to 140ha.
Senior environmental planner Cathy Begley, representing all Hakataramea Valley applicants, outlined the planning issues involved with approving the resource consents which, she maintained, could be granted.
The Central South Island Fish and Game Council and others raised concerns over the existing poor water quality in the Hakataramea River, and the effect of more intensive land use with expanded irrigation.
Ms Begley said mitigation measures proposed as conditions on resource consents by all applicants, and the willingness of the Hakataramea Valley community to improve farm management practices, would improve the water quality.
The proposed irrigation would contribute to the long-term needs of applicants and the community through the economic and social benefits it would bring, she said.
