A proposal for a 6800ha irrigation scheme for up to 51 farms in the drought-prone Waihao Downs area of the Waimate district was outlined yesterday to an Environment Canterbury hearing in Oamaru.
The scheme could be of real benefit to the Waihao Downs community and environment and economic to build, the Waimate farmer who drew up the concept, Jonathon Kirk, said.
The hearings panel is considering 56 resource consent applications for water from the lower Waitaki River and its tributaries below the Waitaki dam.
The hearing on August 11 and last week heard from the Mid River New Applicants' Group and individual farmers who also want water for irrigation.
Yesterday, it was the turn of Waihao Downs Irrigation to put its case.
Last year, the same Environment Canterbury (ECan) panel heard an application for the Hunter Downs irrigation scheme, a joint venture between Meridian Energy Ltd and the South Canterbury Irrigation Trust to irrigate up to 40,000ha in the Waimate district.
It sought to take up to 20.5 cumecs from the river.
Consent applications for the Waihao scheme were also made during the Hunter Downs hearing.
Yesterday, Waihao Downs legal counsel Nicola Hornsey said the Waihao scheme was now stand-alone in asking for three consents to use up to 38 million cubic metres of water a year, taken at the rate of 3.06 cumecs from the Waitaki River.
A pump house with up to 10 pumps would lift the water up to 120m, then it would be distributed under pressure by underground pipes for spray irrigation in the upper Waihao Downs catchment.
The intake would be either the Morven-Glenavy-Ikawai irrigation scheme's intake or a stand-alone intake at the end of Pub Rd.
Waihao Downs is seeking a 100 cumecs minimum flow for the Waitaki River between the Waitaki dam and the sea - lower than the minimum flow of 150 cumecs set in the Waitaki catchment water allocation regional plan, but the same as sought for the Hunter Downs irrigation scheme and by other applicants in the current hearings.
Waihao Downs also supported attempts to negotiate an agreement with Meridian, on behalf of other existing and future irrigators, to ensure sufficient water was released from the Waitaki dam during low flows to maintain an almost 100% reliability for irrigation schemes.
Waihao Downs chairman Paul Harrison said the scheme would enhance the area's physical and economic environment, help stem population decline and vindicate the faith farmers had in their land.
Drought had been a perennial issue since farming started in the 1860s.
Water was not available from the Waihao River and a concept to take water from the neighbouring Waitaki River was formulated, he said.
Then the Hunter Downs scheme, described by Mr Harrison as akin to a grenade being lobbed into a henhouse, came along.
However, because of differences with the Hunter Downs scheme, particularly ownership and the Waitaki minimum flow, Waihao Downs was again pursuing its own scheme.
If consents were granted, the company would move quickly to build the scheme, he said.
It would take between 12 and 18 months to complete.
ECan consents investigating officer Tim Ensor could not recommend the two water consents be granted.
The third, a land use consent to construct an intake structure and place water supply pipes, could be granted, subject to conditions.
