14. Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
14.1 Introduction
This chapter summarises the Board's evaluation of the provisions of the Plan relating to environmental flow and level regimes (minimum lake levels) for Lakes Ruataniwha, 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.
14.2 Plan provisions
The relevant provisions of the Plan are:
- Policies 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 42
- Rules 1, 2, 9, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 24.
14.3 Effectiveness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness of the provisions in the Plan relevant to the minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are summarised in Table 75 below. In this circumstance, Objectives 1 and 2 are relevant to the evaluation.
Table 75: Effectiveness of the provisions in the Plan relevant to the minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
| Objective | Provisions | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
The environmental flow and level regimes provide for the retention of sufficient water in the lakes to ensure 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 the lake environments. The minimum lake levels recognise the relationship of Ngāi Tahu and their culture and traditions with the Waitaki catchment, a taonga, and its associated sites and wāhi tapu. However, retention of minimum lake levels will mean that some of the values of the area important to Ngāi Tahu for Lakes Benmore and Aviemore will remain flooded. The minimum lake levels 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. |
High |
|
2 |
A signiifcant amount of water is available for allocation to activities above the specified minimum lake levels. Essential drinking, stock drinking-water, maintaining fire fighting capacity and the processing of perishable produce are not restricted by the minimum levels. |
High |
|
Overall effectiveness |
High |
|
14.4 Benefits and costs
The Board's evaluation of the benefits and costs of the provisions in the Plan relating to minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are summarised in Table 76 to 79 below.
Table 76: Benefits and costs of minimum lake levels for Lake Ruataniwha
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental 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 Canterbury galaxias. Habitat and/or spawning areas for sport fish species are maintained and enhanced, particularly for brown trout. |
Environmental |
|
Economic Retains moderate value water for hydro-electricity generation. Provides opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Provides opportunities to derive economic benefit from 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 Lake Ruataniwha is maintained. A wide range of recreation opportunities of high value will be maintained including rowing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, sailing, water-skiing and camping. 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 essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing from existing activities taking water. Reduced opportunity to derive secondary social wellbeing effects 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 |
Table 77: Benefits and costs of minimum lake levels for Lake Benmore
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental 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 and rainbow trout. Environmental lake levels will allow for raupo to continue to be grown on the edge of the lake adjacent to the deep water. The geopreservation sites will be maintained - "Black Jacks Triassic macrofauna and estuarine deposits". |
Environmental |
|
Economic Retains moderate value water for hydro-electricity generation. Provides opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Provides opportunities to derive economic benefit from 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 Lake Benmore is maintained. A wide range of recreation opportunities of high value will be maintained, including power boating, jet boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, sailing, water-skiing and camping. 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 essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing from existing activities taking water. Reduced opportunity to derive secondary social wellbeing effects 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. Recognises the Statutory Acknowledgement for Lake Benmore (Te Ao Mārama). |
Cultural |
Table 78: Benefits and costs of minimum lake levels for Lake Aviemore
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental 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 and rainbow trout. Maintaining environmental lake levels will maintain the opportunity for raupo to continue to be grown on the edge of the lake adjacent to the deep water. |
Environmental |
|
Economic Retains moderate value water for hydro-electricity generation. Provides opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Provides opportunities to derive economic benefit from 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 Existence value of Lake Aviemore is maintained. A wide range of recreation opportunities will be maintained through including power boating, jet boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, sailing, water-skiing and camping. 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 essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing from existing activities taking water. Reduced opportunity to derive secondary social wellbeing effects 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. Recognises the Statutory Acknowledgement for Lake Aviemore (Mahi Tīkumu). |
Cultural |
Table 79: Benefits and costs of minimum lake levels for Lake Waitaki
| Benefits | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Environmental 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 common bullies. Habitat and/or spawning areas for sport fish species are maintained and enhanced, particularly for brown trout. Geopreservation site will be maintained - "Oligocene fossil fauna, molluscan fauna plus kekendon toothed-whale teeth". |
Environmental |
|
Economic Retains moderate value water for hydro-electricity generation. Provides opportunity to derive economic benefit from new activities. Retains economic benefit from existing activities. Provides opportunities to derive economic benefit from 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 Existence value of Lake Waitaki is maintained. A wide range of recreation opportunities of moderate value will be maintained through implementing the minimum lake level, including power boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, sailing, fishing and water-skiing. 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 essential drinking and stock drinking-water, and the processing of perishable produce. |
Social Reduced secondary social wellbeing from existing activities taking water. Reduced opportunity to derive secondary social wellbeing effects 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 |
14.5 Efficiency
Following the consideration of the benefits and costs, it is the Board's judgement that the provisions relating to the minimum lake levels for:
- Lake Ruataniwha, are of high efficiency
- Lake Benmore, are of high efficiency
- Lake Aviemore, are of high efficiency
- Lake Waitaki, are of high efficiency.
14.6 Appropriateness
The Board's evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of the minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are summarised in Table 80 below.
Table 80: Summary of the effectiveness and efficiency of the provisions setting minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki
| Environmental lake levels | Effectiveness | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
|
Lake Ruataniwha |
High |
High |
|
Lake Benmore |
High |
High |
|
Lake Aviemore |
High |
High |
|
Lake Waitaki |
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 minimum lake levels for Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki are the most appropriate to achieve the objectives of the Plan.
