Independent irrigators on the lower Waitaki River have formed themselves into a united group and joined the Waitaki Irrigators Collective Ltd, which was established last year.
About 35 irrigators who have their own water rights rather than taking water from irrigation companies are in the new Waitaki Independent Irrigators Incorporated, and others are expected to join.
The new group has given added impetus to the irrigators' collective, which now represents independent and company irrigators covering 75,000ha on both sides of the lower Waitaki River below the Waitaki dam.
The chairman of the newly formed independent irrigators' group, Matt Ross, said on Wednesday the move allowed independent irrigators to come together in a formal structure, which gave them a strong, unified voice in dealing with common issues.
The irrigators' collective was established last year and comprised the large community irrigation schemes - Upper Waitaki Community Irrigation Co, North Otago Irrigation Co, Morven-Glenavy-Ikawai Irrigation Co, Maerewhenua District Water Resource Co and Lower Waitaki Irrigation Co.
Oamaru accountant Fraser McKenzie is the independent chairman of the collective and in February, Elizabeth Soal was appointed its policy manager.
The collective was formed as a representative group for the schemes, and now for individuals.
Ms Soal said working together meant members were able to pool resources to provide professional policy management for the group, and allow for long-term planning and proactive work on irrigation-related issues.
"The inclusion of the individual irrigators means the collective is now truly representative of the diverse irrigation interests downstream of the Waitaki Dam," Ms Soal said.
The irrigable command area of the schemes and individuals the collective represented made it one of the largest irrigation entities in New Zealand and it contributed millions of dollars a year to the local and national economy.
Its objectives ranged from protecting existing water rights and reliability of supply to research, education and lobbying at local, regional and national levels.
