Hurunui River flows

The letters from John Kent and David O’Neill (Mar 29) regarding minimum flows in the Hurunui and Waiau rivers require response.

The Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee wants the minimum flows in the local plan implemented sooner rather than later.

The zone committee identified an opportunity to leverage an environmental enhancement package by the main water take, Amuri Irrigation, while also implementing the minimum flows. We firmly believe this could deliver better environmental and cultural outcomes than a consent review could. Consent review may also be costly and slow.

The zone committee has therefore agreed consideration of a proposed enhancement package with the company supported by voluntary implementation of staged minimum flow increases starting in the 2018 irrigation season.

The package includes enhancing spring-fed streams, restoring wetlands, predator and weed control to protect braidedriver birds, improving the

Hurunui and Waiau hapua (lagoons), helping farmers deliver mahinga kai values, reducing nitrogen inputs to the Hurunui River, investigating ways to provide river flows to help salmon migrate, and a managed aquifer recharge trial.

At its meeting on April 16 the zone committee will discuss the proposed package and make recommendations to Environment Canterbury.

John Faulkner

Hurunui Waiau Zone Committee chairman