13. Tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
13.1 Introduction
This chapter summarises the Board's evaluation of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki. The effectiveness, benefits and costs, and efficiency of the provisions are examined. 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 'surface water tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki', what is being referred to is:
- all the rivers and streams that flow into Lake Benmore, except for Tekapo, Pūkaki and Ōhau catchments and the Ahuriri River and catchment
- all the rivers and streams that flow into Lake Aviemore
- all the rivers and streams that flow into Lake Waitaki.
13.2 Plan provisions
The relevant provisions of the Plan are:
- Policies 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 41
- Rules 1, 2, 9, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 24.
13.3 Effectiveness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness of the provisions in the Plan to establish environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and
Waitaki is summarised in Table 72 below. In this circumstance, Objectives 1 and 2 are relevant to the evaluation.
Table 72: Effectiveness of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
| Objective | Provisions | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
The environmental flow and level regimes provide for the retention of sufficient water in the tributaries of sustain the health and protection of their natural and physical qualities, safeguard the life-supporting capacity of ecosystems and maintain people's appreciation and enjoyment of these water bodies. 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. Implementation will occur through the consideration of resource-consent applications as either a discretionary or non-complying activity. The environmental flow and level regimes enable water to flow into the lake system. However, these provisions will only be effective if implemented by the consent authority in terms of section 68(7) of the RMA. |
Moderate/High |
|
2 |
The allocation limit does not restrict existing resource consents, or replacement resource consents for the same or less amounts of water from the Otematata River. Potential for taking water for activities over and above that currently consented is provided for on individual watercourses. Essential drinking, stock drinking-water, maintaining fire fighting capacity and the processing of perishable produce are not restricted by the minimum flows and flow-sharing requirements. Micro hydro-electricity generation and fisheries and wildlife activities are exempt from the allocation limit from the Otematata River. Any water within the environmment flow and level regime is available for hydro-electricity generation in downstream hydro-electricity generation stations. |
Moderate |
|
Overall effectiveness |
Moderate/High |
|
13.4 Benefits and costs
The Board's evaluation of the benefits and costs of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki is summarised in Table 73 below.
Table 73: Benefits and costs of the provisions in the Plan relating to the environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental Wetland habitats of Aviemore Ponds, Ben Omar Swamp and Clark Creek/Otamatapaio Swamp will be maintained. 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:
Habitat and/or spawning areas for sport fish species are maintained and enhanced, particularly for brown trout. |
Environmental Otamatapaio Swamp with an adjacent river swamp is fed by an irrigation overflow which may be degraded through the application of an environmental flow and level regime. Potential site-specific adverse effects from micro hydro-electricity generation and fisheries and wildlife activities (to the extent not mitigated as per consent conditions). Potential site specific effects from taking essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and for the processing of perishable produce in times of low flow. |
|
Economic Retains moderate value water for hydro-electricity generation. Provides some opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Provides opportunities to derive economic benefit from micro hydro-electricity generation, essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Economic Opportunity cost attached to existing activities taking water. Reduced opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities requiring water. |
|
Social The existence value of rivers and streams is protected. Enhanced opportunities for secondary social wellbeing effects derived from new activities. Retains secondary social wellbeing effects associated with existing activities. Enhanced secondary social wellbeing effects from micro hydro-electricity generation, essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing from existing activities taking water. Reduced secondary social wellbeing from new activities requiring water. |
|
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 |
13.5 Efficiency
Following the consideration of the benefits and costs of the environmental flow and level regimes for the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki, it is the Board's judgement that the provisions are of high efficiency.
13.6 Appropriateness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental flow and level regimes in relation to the tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki is summarised in Table 74 below.
Table 74: Summary of the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental flow and level regimes for tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
| Effectiveness | Efficiency | |
|---|---|---|
|
Tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki |
Moderate/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 tributaries of Lakes Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are the most appropriate to achieve the objectives of the Plan.
