Key research reports and documents that have contributed to the preparation of the Proposed Plan are:

Minimum flows for native fish in the Waipara River
Report by I Jowlett 30 May 1994
 Minimum flows for native fish in the Waipara River (pdf 88 kB)

Minimum flows to sustain fish habitat in the Waipara River
Letter from I Jowlett to Environment Canterbury 30 June 2006
 Minimum flows to sustain fish habitat in the Waipara River(pdf 88 kB)

Waipara River instream values and flow regimes
By Paul Mosely (R03/1), ISBN 1-86937-475-4
 Waipara River instream values and flow regime(pdf 6.75 MB)

Seven-day Mean Annual Low Flow and Mean Annual Flow Mapping of the Waipara River Catchment, North Canterbury
By F.Scarf, Oct 2007 (U08/10), ISBN 978-1-86937-779-3.
 Seven-day Mean Annual Low Flow (pdf 3.44 MB)

Groundwater in the Waipara Alluvial Basin Recharge & Allocation: Environment Canterbury 2002
Outlines a study undertaken to assist management by determining groundwater recharge, comparing current groundwater allocation with recharge and by assessing the implications of the groundwater allocation policies contained in the draft NRRP as they pertain to Waipara.
 Waipara Alluvial Basin Recharge (pdf 2.16 MB)

The Water Resources of the Waipara Catchment and their Management: Environment Canterbury 2002
Sustainable and effective management required both a thorough understanding of the physical environment and consideration of the needs of society.  This study was undertaken to assist management by quantifying the water resources , determining current water use, and identifying the key issues facing management.
 Water Resources and Management (pdf 5.83 MB)

Waipara River Water Resource Report: Environment Canterbury 2002
This report draws heavily on the findings by Lloyd 2002 (The Water Resources of the Waipara Catchment and their Management) and in some instances purely summarises them.  Additional findings were also included and elaborated upon.
 Water Resource Report (pdf 7.83 MB)

7-Day Mean Annual Low Flow Mapping for the Waipara Catchment Area: Environment Canterbury 2003
Methodology and map produced from 2002/2003 low flow mapping update to the information previously provided by Horrell in 1992 and Canterbury Regional Council in 1993.
Mean Annual Low Flow Mapping (pdf 2.39 MB)

Waipara River Tangata Whenua Values: Frania  Zygadlo-Kanara and Te Rununga o Ngai Tuahuriri 2004
The Tangata Whenua Values report lists and describes Tangata Whenua cultural values and traditional relationships with ancestral lands, water, sites, wahi tapu and other toanga, that are associated with any rivers in the Waipara River Catchment, or which relate to the flow, level and or water quality in these rivers.  In addition, it identifies what outcomes Tangata Whenua are seeking in terms of river flows and water quality, and what conditions or outcomes Tangata Whenua would not like to see.
 Tangata Whenua Values (pdf 19.10 MB) 

Groundwater Allocation for the Waipara Groundwater Zone: Aqualinc Research Ltd 2005
Environment Canterbury commissioned Aqualinc to assess groundwater recharge in the Waipara groundwater zone, and to recommend allocation links.  The report outlines the calculated mean annual land-surface recharge of groundwater taking into account the amount of irrigation that occurs, and determines the groundwater allocation limits in accordance with the proposed NRRP Policy WQN14(8).
 Groundwater Allocation (pdf 1.47 MB) 

Impact on Abstractors of a Change in the Waipara River Flow Management Regime: AgriBusiness Group 2005
The report was commissioned with the purpose of assessing the impact on all existing consent holders of the proposed regime (other than Weka Creek irrigators) and their responses in making the transition from the one flow regime to another.  This assessment is not in a cost benefit format but is more descriptive in that all aspects of the transition impacts could be fully understood by the stakeholders and decision making.
 Impact on Abstractors (pdf 3.26 MB)

Water Demand in the Waipara Mainstem Catchment: Environment Canterbury 2008
The report aims to address four key areas identified as requiring further information in the establishment of a planning regime for the Waipara River.  The report undertakes this by estimating the demand for all currently consented takes using a demand model, estimating the amount of additional water required to meet full demand, and estimating the amount of water remaining in the river under various regimes.  The report concentrates on two reaches of the river – the Upper Waipara (White Gorge to above the Omihi confluence) and the Lower Waipara below the Omihi confluence.
 Water Demand in the Waipara Mainstem Catchment (pdf 4.10 MB) 

Draft Waipara River and Tributaries Environmental Flow Regimes: Environment Canterbury 2009
For five years, Environment Canterbury worked with the community and other interested parties to establish management options for water resources in the Waipara catchment including an environmental flow and allocation regime.  This report provides information and outlines options for establishing environmental flow and allocation regimes in the Waipara Catchment.
Draft Environmental Flow Regimes (pdf 2.79 MB)