Caution urged
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd should be cautious in their enthusiasm for the building of the Ruataniwha Dam.
The dam has been a political graveyard for those politicians who backed it in the past. When put under the microscope, it doesn’t stack up financially or environmentally.
It would be a good idea if the MPs talked to some local farmers who have done their research rather than have their ears filled with spin from those who stand to gather gold if it all goes ahead.
The three local businessmen who hold the Ruataniwha consents just got a quarter of a million dollars in relief on outstanding water charges
from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. If the Government pushes this dam through, ratepayers should prepare for further costs - just ask the Nelson ratepayers about the Waimea Dam cost blowout. What knowledgeable farmers are saying is the only way they could make money from buying dam water is by converting to intensive dairy.
That would mean taking on massive debt in an uncertain financial world. It could
also mean contributing to making the Tukituki toxic and killing fish (as a leaked Department of Conservation report on the environmental effects of the Ruataniwha Dam suggested in 2013). Farmers who sign for dam water will have to pay for it whether or not it is used, so in wet summers such as we have had there is no benefit, only cost.
The other interesting thing these local farmers are saying is that irrigating pasture, such as intensive dairy does, uses three times the amount of water than most other common uses of irrigation.
The simple logic is that if there was no or limited pasture irrigation there would be no need for a large dam.
Intensive dairy covers about 7000ha. If there was a land-use change, water for pasture irrigation could be reallocated for other uses.
Potentially 21,000ha could be irrigated with the bonus of water pollution being greatly reduced.
Given that some of that land is already under irrigation, it is clear that with good water management there would be a surplus to ensure minimum flows in our rivers.