Outcome 2 - Managing the Undesirable Effects of Land Use on Water Quality
28. Declining water quality in many lowland streams across New Zealand requires action. Some reports have indicated that as many as half of New Zealand’s lowland rivers and streams consistently fail to meet microbial, nutrient and clarity guidelines. [ Nationwide regional state and trends in river water quality 1996-2002, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd; S Larnard, M Scarsbrook, T Snelder, N Norton, prepared for the Ministry for the Environment, February 2005.] Poor water quality is affecting the ecological, recreational, cultural and economic values of these water bodies.
29. Managing diffuse discharges of contaminants - a major contributor to poor water quality - is a problem for water managers and landowners. It is difficult to identify and measure the specific effect of a particular action, and there are often long delays before the effects of actions on land, such as higher stocking rates, increased fertiliser application and stormwater disposal, are seen in water quality.
30. Achieving better water quality requires that the impacts of changing land use be actively managed, drawing on a mix of partnerships, industry-agreed targets and government direction.
Action 2.1: Develop agreed targets with industry
31. The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord has demonstrated how effective targets can be established when Government and industry work in partnership. The Accord sets targets relating to the physical protection of water bodies by keeping dairy cattle out of rivers, lakes and wetlands, treating farm effluent, and managing the use of fertilisers and other nutrients. The target for excluding cattle from 50% of streams, rivers and lakes by 2007 was achieved by the end of the 2003/04 season. The Accord has raised farmer awareness and promoted changes in on-farm practices.
32. It is proposed that other sectors, in partnership with Government, be encouraged to develop voluntary targets for land management activities that impact on water quality. Examples of good practice in a variety of sectors are already emerging from various Sustainable Farming Fund projects, and these examples could become part of sector-wide agreements. Government would work with innovators and leaders in various sectors to develop workable solutions and encourage implementation and uptake of the targets.
Action 2.2: Identify catchments that are sensitive and at risk from rural and urban diffuse discharges
33. It will take some time for initiatives such as partnerships and national policy statements to take effect. In the interim, a programme is needed so that at-risk and sensitive catchments already under pressure from nutrient and microbial diffuse discharges can be readily identified.
34. This action does not mean prioritising central government spending or intervention. Instead, it means Government will look to anticipate likely developments and assess the need for action, rather than being surprised by the state of specific water bodies. In many cases, at-risk water bodies will already be well managed by the local council, and central government need only endorse their actions.
35. This action will likely build on the current Cross-Department Research Project, 'Catchment Land Use for Environmental Sustainability' (CLUES). This uses national water quality databases and classification systems for surface and groundwater to help identify the impacts of land-use change on river water quality. CLUES is currently focusing on nitrogen.
Action 2.3: Provide targeted assistance to land users
36. Providing farmers and their advisers with the knowledge and tools to improve practices will help reduce the level of contaminants entering water bodies. However, many of the farm management changes needed to mitigate the adverse effects of land use on water quality are complex and specific to individual farms. Delivering one-on-one information and advice could be the most effective approach, and would build on existing initiatives such as Dairy 21 [Dairy 21 comprises representatives from Fonterra, Westland, the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, Dexcel, AgResearch, Livestock Improvement Corporation and Dairy Insight, and helps to generate funding for research to deliver improved productivity for the dairy industry.], the proposed Dairy Industry Strategy for Sustainable Environmental Management, and the applied research from Sustainable Farming Fund projects. The provision of assistance by Government could depend on resource users’ compliance with any targets set by voluntary or regulatory measures.
Action 2.4: Consider the potential value of and options for a national policy statement on nutrients, microbial contaminants and sediment on water bodies
37. Government is seeking ways to reverse the declining water quality trend evident in many lowland rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater. One way is to investigate the potential value of and options for a national policy statement for water quality. This would respond in part to concerns raised in the recent report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment ‘Growing for Good’.
38. As stated, Government endorses existing local government-led initiatives for managing water quality. Government can also provide national direction, and instil confidence that there is a sound framework in place to protect the environmental quality of New Zealand's water resources from the undesirable effects of land use. A national policy statement could be a means of providing such direction, by requiring strong environmental limits to be set locally and promoting the integration of local and regional approaches to land-use management.
39. A national policy statement could work in parallel with voluntary mechanisms, such as new or strengthened partnerships and advisory programmes. Because it would be given effect by local government plans, policy statements and resource consents, a national policy statement would take some time to come into force. During that time, the effectiveness of partnerships and voluntary targets could be assessed. The degree of direction in the national policy statement and the date of it coming into force could be adjusted according to the success of voluntary measures and the urgency of emerging circumstances.
40. A collaborative process involving local government, Māori and other stakeholders would be used to determine whether a national policy statement is needed and, if so, its nature and scope. [The process is likely to follow that used for the preparation of a national policy statement on electricity transmission. A reference group report on the possible nature and scope of a national policy statement would be released for public comment. The conclusions of the report and nature of public submissions would be reported to Cabinet prior to formal drafting and formal public consultation. If at any stage the reference group believes there would be a more effective alternative to a national policy statement, then that could be highlighted within the process outlined.] If Cabinet agreed to the drafting of a national policy statement, formal public consultation would be required under the Resource Management Act (refer Appendix 2).
