Table 2: Identification of water allocation issues within the Waitaki catchment

Catchment wide

Large braided river system.

Connectedness between all parts of the freshwater systems of the Waitaki River and associated beds, banks, margins, tributaries, islands, lakes, wetlands and aquifers. Includes continuity of flow from mountains to the sea.

Ecosystems including habitats of indigenous plants and animals including rare and threatened species.

Tangata whenua relationships and values.

Intrinsic and amenity values.

Essential water needs.

Economic activities.

Recreation activities.

Social and cultural wellbeing.

Demand exceeds availability:

• Abstractive vs in-stream uses
• Alternative abstractive uses
• Hydro-electricity generation vs other activities.

Water quality implications of intensification of land use.

Integrated management of conflicts constrained by having two regional authorities.

Tributaries of Lake Tekapo, Lake Pūkaki and Lake Ōhau

High natural character.

High landscape and visual amenity values.

Habitats for birds and fish.

Recreation and tourism facilities.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Retaining high natural-character state.

Ahuriri catchment

High natural character.

High landscape and visual amenity values.

Habitat for wading birds.

Trout habitat.

Ōmārama water supply.

Recreation including fishing.

Irrigation.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Water Conservation Order sets environmental flow regime.

Allocation to activities not specifically addressed in Water Conservation Order.

Quail Burn which has conflicting demands excluded from the Water Conservation Order.

Flow-sensitive sub-catchments (as identified in the NRRP).

Rain-fed lakes including Lakes McGregor, Alexandrina and Middleton,

Lakes and tarns upstream of the glacial lakes

High natural character.

High landscape and visual amenity values.

Habitat for birds.

Trout habitat.

Recreation including fishing and water fowl hunting.

Retaining high natural-character state.

Lake Tekapo, Lake Pūkaki and Lake Ōhau

Iconic nature of lakes and surrounds.

High natural character.

High landscape and visual amenity values.

Recreation.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation within area and out-of-catchment.

Allocation to activities.

Lake operating levels.

Operational flexibility for hydro-electricity generation.

Tekapo, Pūkaki and Ōhau rivers

Connectedness to the glacial lakes to provide continuity of flows from mountains to sea.

Recreation, including fishing and kayaking.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation.

Wetlands.

Habitat for birds and fish.

Restoring flows in dry river systems.

Allocation to activities.

Abstractive (hydro and irrigation) vs in-stream uses.

Hydro-electricity canals

Fishing.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation.

Salmon farms.

Allocation to activities.

Upper catchment tributaries

Flow to wetlands and groundwater.

Upper reaches salmonid-free.

Habitats for indigenous aquatic species.

Town supply to Lake Tekapo and Twizel.

Fishing.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation.

Allocation to activities.

Water quality implications of intensification of land use.

Small streams, groundwater and wetlands in upper catchment

High natural character.

Groundwater, wetlands and springs closely connected to surface flows and part of larger river system.

Smaller streams are not well covered in ecological monitoring, and often do not have flow recording.

Retaining high natural character of wetlands.

Tributaries of Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki

Trout fishery and spawning areas.

Irrigation of small areas.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Otematata town water supply.

Allocation to activities.

Most river flows not recorded.

Some catchments are flow-sensitive (as identified in the NRRP).

Lakes Ruataniwha, Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki

Lake-based recreation.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation.

Supply to Kurow water race system.

Habitats for birds and fish.

Allocation to activities.

Lake operating levels.

Operational flexibility for hydro-electricity generation.

Hakataramea catchment

Wetland connections.

Habitats for birds and fish (including spawning).

Fishing.

Irrigation.

Potential for water harvesting.

Water supply Hakataramea township.

Current allocations to abstractive uses threaten in-stream values.

Water quality implications of intensification of land use.

Some catchments are flow-sensitive (as identified in the NRRP).

Tributaries of Lower Waitaki River

Salmon spawning.

Native fish passage.

Sediment supply to Lower Waitaki River.

Water supplies to towns in Waitaki and Waimate districts.

Irrigation.

Allocation to activities.

Current allocations to abstractive uses threaten in-stream values in most tributaries.

Deemed permits in Awakino, Kurow, Maerewhenua, Otekaieke and Otiake catchments.

Lower Waitaki River

Braided river system processes including connections, to wetlands, springs and groundwater.

Habitats for birds and fish.

River mouth functioning.

Recreation including fishing, jet boating and game bird hunting.

Community water supplies (including Oamaru).

Industrial and commercial water supply.

Hydro-electricity generation.

Irrigation in and out of catchment.

Potential for out-of-catchment town and community water supply, and industrial and commercial uses.

Allocation to activities.

Residual flows and flow variability to maintain the attributes of large flowing river.

Operational flexibility for hydro-electricity generation.

Lower catchment groundwater and springs

Flows to springs, spring-fed streams and wetlands.

Irrigation.

Community water supply including Duntroon.

Maintaining groundwater levels.

Allocation to activities.

Interconnectedness of surface and groundwater and wetland systems.