SELWYN-WAIHORA ZIP ADDENDUM

& VARIATION 1

ZIP Addendum Solution Package

Goal of the Solution Package:To improve cultural and environmental outcomes in the Selwyn Waihora catchment while maintaining farm viability and economic growth

Key values:• The lake ‘Te Waihora’ and its margins are a taonga

for Ngāi Tahu• Agriculture, underpinned by reliable water supply, is

a significant contributor to the economy

Overview of current situation situation

Decline in health of Te Waihora has led to increase in algal blooms.Mahinga kai not considered safe to eat.

Reliable water supply is critical to a high-value agricultural economy

Water use, irrigated area & intensive land use substantially increased in last 20 years

Most (80%) of water-use consents do not come up for renewal until 2030-2040

Agriculture is a significant contributor to economy:• about a third of District’s GDP• employs 2,600 on-farm• SW agriculture contributes $620

million to regional economy & employs 14,700 regionally.

Phosphorus has accumulated in lake-bed sediments

Lag in groundwater system of 10-30 yrs

Flows in lowland streams & Selwyn/Waikirikiri have decreased by about 15-20%.

Central Plains Water: 60,000ha irrigation from alpine water. Includes 30,000ha new irrigation

NPS for Freshwater Management requires regional councils to set limits for quality & quantity

Selwyn Waihora Zone Committee’s ZIP Addendum

Recommended package achieved through SW Sub-regional Section of LWRP and other actions.

Delivering Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) byimproving cultural & environmental outcomes in catchment while maintaining farm viability & economic growth

High nitrate concentrations in lowland streams & shallow groundwater.

see www.ecan.govt.nz/selwyn-waihora

Selwyn Waihora ZIP AddendumGoals, pathways and outcomes

What it means on farm• Stock exclusion: streams, drains, wetlands &

springheads• Everyone farming at Good Management Practice

(GMP) by 2017• > 15kgN/ha/yr farming at improved GMP from

2022• Schedule of Practices• Farm Environment Plans• Consented annual/seasonal volumes based on

measured water use• Revised minimum flows (from 2025)• Effective riparian margins, protection of

springhead wetlands, targeted sediment removal, etc

Variation 1

VARIATION 1

• 1st change to the pLWRP to introduce a revised sub-regional chapter

• Variation 1 notified 22 February• Submissions close 21 March• Public notification of Summary of Decisions

late April/May – Further Submissions• Hearing September/October 2014

Water Quantity• Combined surface water and groundwater limits • Allocation limits set to achieve ecological/cultural flows –

taking into account contribution from CPW• New takes prohibited – while over allocation limits• Existing takes – annual volumes based on

demonstrated use: applied @ time of consent renewal• CPW: no transfers of water, others 50% surrender, no

transfer below SH1 to above• New minimum flows from 2025 - applied @ time of

consent renewal• Water storage prohibited in mainstems of

Selwyn/Waikirirkiri and Waianiwaniwa Rivers

Cultural Landscape/Values Management Area

• Farm Environment Plan mid 2015 > 10ha

• Current permitted activities impacted:– New domestic on-site waste

water systems (Lake Area)– Vegetation clearance by local

authorities (subject to land drainage plan)

– Discharge of drainage water (to a river, lake or wetland within Lake Area)

• Community sewage schemes – additional policy direction

• Additional matter of discretion for resource consents

Water quality – Selwyn Waihora• Catchment Nitrogen load limit for farming

activities (95% of catchment load) • Community sewage and industrial and trade

discharges to land managed to meet nitrogen load limits (5% of catchment load) & operate at Best Practicable Option (BPO)

• New Schedule of Practices for farming activities• More extensive use of Farm Environment Plans• Regional stock access exclusion rules additionally

applied to drains

Farm Environment Plans (FEP)

• Mid 2015 (Lake Area of Cultural Landscape/Values Management Area)

• 1 January 2017 > 50ha• 1 January 2022 20-50ha

Nitrogen limits Catchment load limits Farming activities: 4830 t/N/year

CPW load limit

Good Management Practice

MaximumFeasible Mitigation

Community Sewage/Industrial and Trade Waste: 168 t/N/year

Property scale controls outside CPW

Farming Activities (not supplied with water from CPW)

• Undertake a ‘nitrogen loss calculation’ (average loss over last 4 years)

<15 kg/N/ha/yr (permitted)– Increase up to 15 kg/N/ha/yr: FEP requires operate @

good management practice loss rates from 2017

> 15 kg/N/ha/yr (consented from 2017)– Pre 2017 subject to nitrogen baseline– 2017 GMP loss rates ( for ‘baseline land use’ 2009-

2013 land use)– 2022 Improve GMP loss rates (to be met at latest by

2037)

Baseline and Target N-loss through till 2017 (>15 kg/N/ha)

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Target 13-14

Target 14-15

Target 15-16

Target 16-17

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Actual / Target N loss 2009-2017 (Presuming GMP takes effect 1 Jan 2017 and is a little lower than the base-

line)

Annual N Loss

Baseline 09-13

Series3

Varaition 1 consent threshold

kgN/

ha

Impact of 2017 & 2022 reductions (>15 kg/N/ha)

2037

2009

/10

2010

/11

2011

/12

2012

/13

Target

13-14

Target

14-15

Target

15-16

Target

16-17

Foreca

st 17

-18*

Foreca

st 18

-19

Foreca

st 19

-20

Foreca

st 20

-21

Foreca

st 21

-22**

Foreca

st 22

-23

Foreca

st 23

-240

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Actual / Target / Forecast N loss 2009-2022 (*Presuming GMP takes effect 1 Jan 2017 and is a little lower than the base-

line and 30% reduction below GMP in 2022)

Annual N Loss

Baseline 09-13

Series3

Varaition 1 consent threshold

kgN/

ha

Timeline – not supplied with water from CPW

2009 2013 2015 2022 to 20372017

Nitrogen baseline

FEPproperties in Cultural Landscape/Values Area > 10ha

FEP properties > 50ha

FEP properties 20 – 50ha

GMP N loss rates (2009-2013 land use)

> 15kgN/ha/yr resource consent

Improved GMP loss rates > 15kgN/ha/yr

GMP is Good Management Practice. GMP N loss rates provided by Matrix of Good Management Practice being developed by Primary Sector and ECan, due 2015

Schedule of Practices

> 15kg/N/ha not exceed nitrogen baseline

30,000ha Current irrigated

land

2017 Current Irrigated land uses operating at GMP

New irrigated land use operating at Improved

Good Management Practice (2022

mitigation levels)

30,000ha Current dry land

2022

New irrigated land use operating at Improved

Good management Practice (2022

mitigation levels)

Current irrigated land use operating at Improved Good

management Practice (2022 mitigation levels)

1944 tonnes/

N/yr

1742 tonnes/

N/yr

Load limit

Central Plains Water

* Up to CPW as how to manage to load limits

Timeline – Supplied with water from CPW

2009 2013 2015 2022 to 20372017Nitrogen baseline

Schedule of Practices

CPW supplies water

CPW consent conditions

CPW load limit 2017* CPW load

limit 2022^

* New at 2022 loss rates, existing at GMP

^ New and existing at 2022 loss rates

> 15kg/N/ha not exceed nitrogen baseline

http://ecan.govt.nz/selwyn-waihora