They could also pay increased costs with more monitoring of the effects of new irrigation and changes farming could have on the environment.
The moratorium and other proposals are in the Upper Waitaki Zone Committee's first draft of a zone water implementation plan, prepared under the Canterbury water management strategy, and released to the Otago Daily Times.
It will not affect 111 applications for water in the area at present being considered by an Environment Canterbury (ECan) hearings panel, including three proposals to develop 16 dairy farms on three properties in the Ohau and Omarama basins.
The water plan considers water issues in the upper Waitaki catchment, including the Omarama, Ohau and Mackenzie basins, then proposes actions to address them.
Communities in the area will be involved in preparing the plan, starting with public meetings at 7pm today at Twizel and tomorrow night at Tekapo.
The Upper Waitaki committee, set up by ECan and the Waitaki and Mackenzie District Councils is one of 10 throughout Canterbury to develop a zone implementation programme then monitor and review it.
Committee chairman Barry Shepherd acknowledged yesterday the proposal to restrict new irrigation would be welcomed by some, but not others.
However, he emphasised yesterday the draft plan was still being formulated and a final draft, not due until late this year, would incorporate feedback from the community.
"It's the very start of the process," he said.
The draft would also be open for public comment, before a final plan was approved in late April. But included in the initial draft is a proposal to restrict new irrigation for six years - likely to cause controversy among farmers and communities in the upper Waitaki catchment.
The aim is to take that time to better understand the actual effects of irrigation and changes in farming on water quality, rather than relying on projections.
Along with that, it is placing responsibility on farmers putting in new irrigation to monitor the effects on water quality under "audited self management". That would add costs to new irrigation.
Under the section Nutrient and Water Management in the initial plan, it is suggested new consents for irrigation would be permitted for up to 10% of a property's area up to a total of 500ha, which would include existing irrigation.
New consents for irrigation of more than 10% of a property or 500ha (including existing irrigation) would be prohibited - effectively not allowed.
That would be reviewed after six years.
Mr Shepherd said yesterday that even when a final plan was released, it would "be a living document" subject to ongoing review.
Decisions due later this month from the ECan panel considering new applications for water use in the Upper Waitaki could also influence the draft put out for consultation.
