Hurunui Water Conservation Order update

The Hurunui is a nationally important river, and is particularly important to the Whitewater Club, who encouraged the national association (then the NZRCA) to be a co-applicant with Fish and Game for a Water Conservation Order. After an extensive period preparing evidence and presenting it to the Special Tribunal in early 2009, the Special Tribunal decision on the Hurunui recommended the North Branch of the river is outstanding for fishing and kayaking. Particularly important for kayakers was the findings on Maori Gully, which was found to be nationally important for kayaking.

Appeals to the Special Tribunal decision must be placed within 15 days. The Hurunui Water Project made it clear that they were going to appeal the decision, which meant that the matter would be referred to the Environment Court. As the decision was going to be appealed, it was important that we also appealed - we were going to be in court anyway, defending the North Branch, and we concluded that we would look closely at the importance of the South Branch. The South Branch is where much of the variability in flow and river features comes from, and as we believed and the Tribunal had concluded that the natural flows of Maori Gully were nationally important, we appealed to have the South Branch included in the WCO.

A range of parties from Meridian Energy to Forest and Bird also appealed the decision, and dates have been set in the Environment Court in May.

The Hurunui Water Project have also applied for consents to damn the river - by a weir at Lake Sumner, and a 70m+ high structure on the South Branch. Whitewater NZ encouraged kayakers to submit in opposition to these consents, and we note that these are behind the WCO in the queue for the Environment Court.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get more complicated - it did. The Canterbury Water Management Strategy was released in November 2009 and the Hurunui Water Project has made an application to the Environment Court that the WCO be adjourned for the CWMS process to run its course. While we are of course committed to the collaborative approach encouraged by the CWMS, it’s a regional document, without the national considerations of the WCO legislation. >From what we understand, the CWMS will not provide the Hurunui with the protection it could receive under a WCO, which is why we’re submitting our opposition to an adjournment to the Court.

I have sat in meetings with a variety of very important people lately, and a large number of them would like to dam the Hurunui. The Water Conservation Order is our way of doing our best to ensure that doesn’t happen. I believe that the CWMS and WCO processes are complementary, and will run side by side.

This is of course a very high level summary - and many kayakers have been involved in a variety of roles throughout this process. I’d like to thank all those who have given their time and energy, and I hope to see you at the Wild Rivers day this weekend - an opportunity to spread the word and celebrate how important the Hurunui is for us. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to drop me a line, or contact one of those listed below who have been closely involved on your behalf.

See you on the water!
Polly Miller - President Whitewater NZ
Doug Rankin - Whitewater NZ Officer and expert witness for the Hurunui WCO
Hugh Canard - Patron of WWCC and Whitewater NZ and member of the CWMS Steering Group
Graeme Wilson - Conservation Officer of Whitewater Canoe Club