Irrigators clear anglers’ hurdle
A group of anglers have resolved their issues with an irrigation company granted permission to take extra water from the Rangitata River.
New Zealand Salmon Anglers Association spokesman Paul Hodgson confirmed to The Timaru Herald the withdrawal of its appeal against the decision of an independent panel appointed by Environment Canterbury to allow the Rangitata Diversion Race Management Ltd (RDR) to take an extra 10 cumecs of water when the river was in high flows. ECan’s decision is, however, still being challenged by Ngai Tahu.
Hodgson said part of the agreement involved a detailed monitoring plan of the river linked to adaptive management. RDR will be involved in the detailed monitoring plan, he said.
‘‘This is a positive outcome. We will finally be able to put some science on the river,’’ he said.
‘‘The anglers have noticed the changes in the river over time, and seen the river deteriorate.’’
Hodgson said the anglers had put in countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars of their own money into the appeal process.
‘‘We’ve pushed this as far as we can go. We’ve done everything we can for the river and we have settled in good faith.’’
The Rangitata River has a Water Conservation Order over it, but Hodgson said the study would be the first time the actual health of the river would be quantified.
‘‘The problem has been that nobody has done any study on the river over a lengthy time period. It’s no good just talking about it.
‘‘As anglers, we look forward to working with RDR in a constructive manner,’’ Hodgson said.
RDR chief executive Tony McCormick said the company was pleased to have reached an agreement with the anglers.
‘‘It was a result of being continually involved with the anglers, and listening to their concerns. We feel we can establish a good relationship with them going forward.
‘‘There has been a commitment to a testing regime. The conditions address their uncertainties.’’
McCormick said it was still going through the process with Ngai Tahu.
‘‘We’re looking forward to working with them to improve our understanding of the river and find an agreement.’’
The resolution is not connected to a wider water science and river engineering project being undertaken by ECan using the Rangitata River as an example of braided rivers.
ECan said they are keen to find out how the region’s big braided rivers – in this instance the Rangitata River – are affected by accumulation of fine sediments that are depositing and accumulating in the rivers.
‘‘We’re also interested in the overall topography of the braided rivers, where old channels and vegetation islands are; this is important for assessment of habitat and flood carrying capacity,’’ ECan’s principal scientist, water quality and ecology, Dr Adrian Meredith said.
Hodgson said ECan had agreed to fund the first digital aerial survey of the Rangitata, which would map the riverbed.
‘‘This will then allow for a baseline to be set for the riverbed for further monitoring.’’
‘‘We’ve done everything we can for the river and we have settled in good faith.’’ Paul Hodgson, salmon anglers’ association