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Alex Walker, Mayor of Central Hawke’s
Bay District Council, spoke to the taskforce’s request as their
representative, with discussions covering:
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The Water taskforce is comprised of
representatives of the district Council, regional council, te taiwhenua o
Tamatea, Fish & Game, Forest & Bird, surface water consent holders
users group, Ruataniwha water Users Group, residents of Ongaonga and Tikokino
as well as Tranche 2 applicants
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Community led group to work through the
science and issues to find short term and long term, sustainable solutions to
water allocation and access issues
·
Nub of issue today is one part of the Tukituki
catchment plan that talks about the dates of implementation of low flow
mechanisms in the Tukituki river
Tania Hopmans
re-joined the meeting at 3.20pm
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Timeline to adapt to lower river flows too
short, and seeking a change to the dates when new minimum flows come into
effect, not the flow levels, with reliability becoming the issue
·
Solutions for conserving water already in
practice, including the phased Surface Water Conservation Plan, the result of
research by the Group (50 members) with the support of HBRC, and endorsed by
the Taskforce 19 November, which includes sharing volumes, sharing time and
rationing, and smoothing out of water takes over the summer period as well as
identifies the water shortfall they have. Not the complete solution.
·
Design and construction under way on small
number of on-farm dams to seek consents for about half of the high flow
allocations available under the Plan
·
Taskforce request a little muddied because of
how things have transpired with the Forest & Bird national office
stepping in
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Ultimately the request is to create some space
for the community to come together to find the solutions to take them from
short term to long term thinking, with a real risk that short term
actions/solutions could jeopardise the CHB position in the long run, with
water insecurity viewed as being an impediment to good decision-making in
terms of best or most suitable land use
·
Results of Ongaonga and Tikokino survey will
be reported to the Taskforce next week, with preliminary indications that of
the 2/3 of the community who have responded to date, ½ of those have
resilience issues requiring assistance
·
Any plan change would be very narrow and focused
and not address any issues other than those requested as those could have
major cost and time implications, and the reality is that no solution will be
in effect for this summer
·
Proposed delay requested is for deferral of the
effective date in 2018 to 2020 and to retain the 2023 date.
·
In response to concerns about the resourcing
implications of a “short term deferral of
minimum flow changes” plan change, staff
advised that a “Fast Fail” approach would be taken i.e. if in the
early stages of consultation staff encounter significant opposition or
objection to the deferral then the RPC would be briefed and further guidance sought
on whether to continue.
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Tamatea Taiwhenua has several representatives
participating on the taskforce and is absolutely supportive of the community
developing and implementing the best long term solutions for the community
and the rivers
·
Community view that Tranche 2 applications are
connected to the other issues
·
The change from the previous request to RPC is
the actions undertaken by the community to prepare for the minimum flow
changes and respond with best endeavours to find and implement solutions,
particularly working with tangata whenua and water user groups and the formation
of the Taskforce comprised of a wider range of community representatives
·
Water conservation activities in CHB intended
to lessen impacts of water takes and the delay of minimum flow implementation
on the river
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