Ecologist doubts swimmable rivers target
Environment Canterbury’s proposals to clean up Canterbury’s rivers lack teeth and won’t stop the ongoing decline, a Massey University freshwater ecologist says.
Dr Mike Joy’s comments come in the wake of ECan’s plan to make 92 per cent of all rivers in the region swimmable by 2030.
He was sceptical that ECan’s approach would achieve the goals, particularly with its apparent reliance on farm environment plans.
‘‘The plans are nothing if they’re not adhered to and properly monitored. It’s like saying having a crash plan will stop drivers from crashing.’’
Joy said the levels of nitrate allowed in ECan’s plan would simply lead to more degradation.
‘‘It’s just crap is what it is. The levels allowed are ridiculously high.’’
ECan declined to give specific information as to how much meeting those targets will cost the ratepayers, and what specific projects it will undertake to ensure it meets the targets.
Instead, a statement attributed to ECan councillor Claire McKay said ‘‘much of the cost is already allowed for in council and landowner budgets’’.
She said that ‘‘ECan’s stock exclusion rules are key in the expected improvements in swimmability.
‘‘Other factors include the ongoing programme of ecological restoration under ECan’s immediate steps, as well as improvements in farm nutrient management and the benefits of farm environment plans.’’
She could not give information on whether more staff would be needed to carry out the monitoring.
The proposed targets will be submitted to the Ministry for the Environment by the end of the month. It will then go out for public consultation, with the final target due to be completed by the end of the year.
Regional councillors will discuss the draft regional water quality targets for swimmable lakes and rivers at Thursday’s council meeting.
The Ministry for Environment’s target is that 90 per cent of rivers and 80 per cent of lakes are ‘‘swimmable’’ by 2040, more than a decade after what ECan proposes.
During summer, ECan regularly monitors the water quality at more than 100 of the region’s rivers, streams and beaches. These include the Opihi River, Caroline Bay in Timaru, Pareora River and Lake Tekapo camp beach.
ECan deputy chairman Peter Scott said the targets were ‘‘ambitious’’. Currently 86 per cent of Canterbury rivers are swimmable, which means they were of excellent, good or fair quality.
‘‘I have faith in our plans,’’ Scott said.
‘‘In the past, we haven’t had the tools in place to achieve this goal until our Land and Water Plan was adopted.
‘‘If we are true to our word, and we ensure these plans are correctly monitored then I’m confident we can make those targets.’’
The Ministry for the Environment and Ministry of Health joint guidelines identify 540 E. coli/
100ml as a one-off level at which it is not it is safe to swim. ‘Swimmable’ under the new proposals means a river needs to have a median of less than 130 E.
coli/100 ml year round.
Scott said ECan’s so-called plan change 5, will place much tighter rules on nutrient management, stock exclusion and riparian planting. In over-allocated ‘‘red zones’’, the plan allows is a permitted activity only where the irrigated area is less than 50 hectares. ‘‘It’s a strong plan, and we’ve got other work in the pipeline.’’
ECan has budgeted $31 million for the next financial year to be spent on freshwater management, nearly 20 per cent of its total budget for the year.