Common views have emerged on water management in the Upper Waitaki which will now be considered by a community-based committee as it prepares a draft plan for public comment.
Over the past two weeks, more than 60 people attended three community meetings to provide ideas on the Upper Waitaki Zone Committee's priorities for water management, which will be considered during preparation of a zone implementation programme.
Committee chairman Barry Shepherd said it had been hard to understand water management issues in the zone - from west of the Waitaki dam to Mt Cook - and the turnout showed the importance local people placed on water and their willingness to develop solutions.
"Participants came from many different organisations and backgrounds and represented a wide range of interests. This ensured we gathered a diverse range of feedback on our water management priorities, giving us lots to think about as we develop our water management programme for the zone over the next few weeks," he said.
The draft zone implementation programme would recommend the actions, responsibilities and time-frames for activities to achieve the principles, targets and goals set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).
The committee established nine priority areas which come under three broad areas - water quality, supply and nutrient management; biodiversity and braided rivers; and prosperity.
"How we manage water has an influence on our quality of life and prosperity both now and for future generations.
"Common themes raised included the benefits of water storage, preserving the quality of water in the zone, the importance of water to the region's tourism and economy, and maintaining biodiversity through preserving wetlands and other natural habitats," he said.
More scientific information in the zone was also a common point raised. Until that was available, the committee was considering a staged approach to irrigation along with audited self management.
