6. Conclusions
This report contains a preliminary understanding of the functionality of groundwater systems within the Waitaki Catchment. Thirteen primary groundwater basins have been identified and the report collates available data for each of these. The report interpolates this data and presents information on groundwater elevation and flow direction, aquifer thickness, aquifer hydraulic characteristics and estimated aquifer storage volumes. In many instances the data were insufficient to form definitive conclusions and this has been clearly documented in the report and summarised in Section 4.
From the information available, conclusions have been drawn regarding groundwater and surface water interactions or water exchanges, and the significance of these in terms of the possible effects from abstraction on either water resource. These are presented in Section 5.
Overall, a reasonable understanding of the aquifer flow regime has been established and should provide the Water Allocation Board with information appropriate for catchment-scale planning.
However, the report is not an appropriate basis for site- specific resource-consent decisions.
