9. High Natural-Character Water Bodies
9.1 Introduction
This chapter summarises the Board's evaluation of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the water bodies categorised by the Board as being of high natural character. The effectiveness, benefits and costs, and efficiency of the provisions are examined in the context of each water body. Consideration is given to the circumstances where there is uncertain or insufficient information, as identified in section 4.2.6 of this report. Based on these evaluations, having regard to effectiveness and efficiency, the Board's overall judgement of whether the provisions are the most appropriate to achieve the objectives is recorded.
When reference is made to High Natural-Character Water Bodies, those water bodies described in Policy 2 are being referred to.
9.2 Plan provisions
The relevant provisions of the Plan are:
- Policies 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34
- Rules 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 24.
9.3 Effectiveness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes of the High Natural-Character Water Bodies are summarised in Table 52 below. In this circumstance, Objectives 1 and 2 are relevant to the evaluation.
Table 52: Effectiveness of the environmental flow and level regimes for High Natural-Character Water Bodies
| Objective | Provisions | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
The environmental flow and level regimes provide for the retention of sufficient water in the water bodies to safeguard the life-supporting capacity of the water bodies and ecosystems and maintain people's appreciation and enjoyment of these water bodies. The environmental flow and level regimes recognise the relationship of Ngāi Tahu and their culture and traditions with the Waitaki catchment, a taonga, and its associated sites and wāhi tapu. The environmental flow and level regimes enable the provision of water for an individual's reasonable domestic needs, the reasonable drinking-water needs of an individual's animals, and for fire-fighting needs. The taking of water from within the environmental flow and level regime prescribed in the rules of the Plan is a discretionary, non-complying or prohibited activity. |
High |
|
2 |
The allocation limit does not restrict existing resource consents, or replacement resource consents for the same or lesser amounts of water. Micro hydro-electricity generation and fisheries and wildlife activities are exempt from the allocation limit. Except for the above, new resource consents for the taking and diverting of water will be constrained by the allocation limit. However, limited new demand to take and divert water is foreseen. Any water outside the allocation limit is available for downstream hydro-electricity generation at the point it enters the Waitaki Power Scheme. |
High |
|
Overall effectiveness |
High |
|
9.4 Benefits and costs
The Board's evaluation of the benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for the High Natural-Character Water Bodies are summarised in Tables 53, 54 and 55 below. In order to fully understand the benefits and costs of the provisions in the Plan, these must be evaluated in the context of the High Natural-Character Water Bodies being considered.
Table 53: The benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(a)
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental Maintains the natural character and intrinsic values of these water bodies, their immediate margins and associated wetlands. Recognises the inherent link between the groundwater and surface water systems. Feeding, roosting and wintering-over habitats for bird life are maintained and/or enhanced, particularly for:
Habitat and/or spawning areas for native fish species are maintained and/or enhanced, particularly for:
|
Environmental Potential site-specific adverse effects from micro hydro-electricity generation and fisheries and wildlife activities, subject to mitigation required in any resource consent. |
|
Economic Provide opportunity to derive economic benefit from micro hydro-electricity generation. Retains highest value water for downstream hydro-electricity generation. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. |
Economic Reduced opportunity to derive economic benefit from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Social Maintains the existence values attached to the relatively natural habitat and associated ecosystems. Community supply needs are provided for. Enhanced opportunities for secondary social wellbeing effects derived from new activities. Retains secondary social wellbeing effects associated with existing activities. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing effects from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Cultural Recognises the relationship of Ngāi Tahu and their culture and traditions with the Waitaki River, a taonga, and its associated sites and wāhi tapu. Has particular regard to the kaitiakitanga of Ngāi Tahu. |
Cultural |
Table 54: The benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(b) and (c)
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental Maintains natural and physical resources and intrinsic values of these water bodies, their immediate margins and associated wetlands. Recognises the inherent link between the groundwater and surface water systems. Feeding and/or roosting and/or breeding habitats for bird life are maintained and/or enhanced, particularly for:
Habitat and/or spawning areas for native fish species are maintained and/or enhanced, particularly for:
Maintains important salmonid free habitats supporting a range of native species, including habitat of the upland longjaw galaxias. Habitat and/or spawning for sport fish species are maintained and enhanced, particularly resident brown trout and rainbow trout. |
Environmental Potential site-specific adverse effects from micro hydro-electricity generation and fisheries and wildlife activities, subject to mitigation required in any resource consent. |
|
Economic Provides opportunity to derive economic benefit from micro hydro-electricity generation. Retains highest value water for downstream hydro-electricity generation. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Tourism values maintained therefore providing certainty and security in long term investment in industry. |
Economic Forgone opportunity to derive economic benefit from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Social Maintains the existence value of the relatively natural habitat. Recreational values are maintained, including sightseeing, trout angling, 4-wheel driving, tramping/climbing, waterfowl hunting, mountain biking. Community water supply needs are provided for. Enhanced opportunity for secondary social wellbeing effects from new activities. Retains secondary social wellbeing effects associated with existing activities. |
Social Forgone secondary social wellbeing from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Cultural Recognises the relationship of Ngāi Tahu and their culture and traditions with the Waitaki River, a taonga, and its associated sites and wāhi tapu. Has particular regard to the kaitiakitanga of Ngāi Tahu. Sustains the habitat of mahinga kai species.
|
Cultural |
Table 55: The benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(d) and (e)
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental Maintains the intrinsic values of the lakes and moderate or higher significance wetlands, including preserving their natural character and their immediate margins. Recognises the inherent link between the groundwater and surface water systems. Feeding and/or roosting and/or breeding habitats for bird life are maintained and/or enhanced, particularly for:
Preserves an important wintering-over lake environment for birds. Maintains important salmonid-free habitats supporting a range of native fish species. |
Environmental |
|
Economic Retains highest value water for downstream hydro-electricity generation. |
Economic Forgone opportunity to derive economic gain from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Social Maintains the existence value of the relatively natural habitat. |
Social Forgone secondary social wellbeing effects from new agricultural and horticultural activities requiring irrigation. |
|
Cultural Recognises the relationship of Ngāi Tahu and their culture and traditions with the Waitaki River, a taonga, and its associated sites and wāhi tapu. Has particular regard to the kaitiakitanga of Ngāi Tahu. Recognises the Statutory Acknowledgement for Whakarumoana (Lake McGregor). |
Cultural |
9.5 Efficiency
Following the consideration of the benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for the High Natural-Character Water Bodies, it is the Board's judgement that the provisions are of:
- high efficiency in relation to the High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(a)
- high efficiency in relation to High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(b) and (c)
- high efficiency in relation to High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(d) and (e).
9.6 Appropriateness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the provisions relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the High Natural-Character Water Bodies is summarised in Table 56 below.
Table 56: Summary of the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental flow and level regimes for the High Natural-Character Water Bodies
| Effectiveness | Efficiency | |
|---|---|---|
|
High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(a). |
High |
High |
|
High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(b) and (c). |
High |
High |
|
High Natural-Character Water Bodies described in Policy 2(d) and (e). |
High |
High |
Having regard to this information, and taking into account the benefits and costs and the risk of acting due to insufficient information, it is the Board's judgement that the environmental flow and level regimes for the High-Natural-Character Water Bodies are the most appropriate to achieve the objectives of the Plan.
