Water and land

Result: 49 meetings and 16 workshops were held in 2023/24.

Result: All nine zone committees completed 3-year Action Plans in 2021/22. These Action Plans were refreshed where needed in 2023/24 and played an active part in the Zone Committees’ process of allocating funding. Action Plans directed decisions on which projects to support by allocated budgets.

Result: In 2022/23, the target was located under level of service measure 2.2 and was achieved. We published four quarterly reports on key actions aligned with Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) targets on the Canterbury Mayoral Forum website. We also reported on work against the 10 current CWMS targets on our website.

Result: We collect and make available a range of data on our website and the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website and Canterbury Maps.

Result: Much of the work undertaken aims to provide opportunities for ngā Papatipu Rūnanga to exercise their rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga, and in doing so, maintain and grow their own mātauranga.

Work has commenced considering the further evolution of a broader framework for how mātauranga Māori is used, applied, and protected by us whilst recognising the rangatiratanga of the mātauranga resides with ngā Papatipu Rūnanga and their whānau. This framework will continue to inform future policies and resourcing decisions related to how mātauranga Māori is used to inform Council decision-making. Arrangements are now in place to enable Mahaanui Kurataiao (MKT) to design and implement a mātauranga Māori monitoring programme working with ngā Papatipu Rūnanga of Mid-Canterbury.

Result: Measure and Target 2.2, which require us to provide data and analysis to show progress against CWMS targets and publish quarterly reports on the Canterbury Mayoral Forum website, have been moved to better reflect the nature of the activity in alignment with Level of Service 1: Facilitate the Canterbury Water Management Strategy zone and regional committees to support achievement of the 2025 goals, in partnership with Ngāi Tahu and the Canterbury region’s city and district councils.

View measure 1.2: Provide data and analysis to show progress against CWMS targets

Result: We use National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS) to code our water level and rainfall data. We are now using NEMS to code much of our discrete water quality data. Planning for the implementation of NEMS for other water quality data has also occurred this year. Other data that does not fall under NEMS is collected and handled using standards guided by industry best practices. Internal reports on the quality of the data have been compiled for section managers.

Result: We have a rolling programme for assessing our monitoring networks. In 2023/24, our surface water quality monitoring network was reviewed.

Result: In addition to the data available through the platforms noted in 2.1a above, we regularly publish reports, which are available from our website document library.

Result: A draft Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and Section 32 report has been prepared. We are on track to deliver a ‘planning instrument’ that gives effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) and includes targeted changes to the Land and Water Regional Plan framework by December 2024.

Result: Progress on this programme during 2023/24 was reported to our senior management. The report detailing the following was delivered:

• assistance with consent requirements with advice around repairing and addressing some erosion issues,
• supporting gravel management strategy engagement over a series of wānanga,
• supporting the first phase of the Mahaanui Kurataiao data project,
• development of tracking tools and various other operational hui with rūnanga to achieve their aspirations for Te Mana o te Wai outcomes.

Result: We managed the progression of catchment projects by engaging with each of the ten Papatipu Rūnanga to develop their Expressions of Interest (EOI) to help identify what projects to progress and how the desired outcomes were to be achieved while ensuring each Papatipu Rūnanga was the decision-maker for projects in their rohe.

Grant agreements specify who is managing and implementing each project through to project completion. A Kaitiakitanga Mahinga Kai initiative update was reported to the Water and Land Committee on 13 March 2024.

Result: Two 3-year campaigns, intensive winter grazing (IWG) and synthetic nitrogen (N-Cap), were progressed in 2023/24, along with general promotion and awareness of the National Environment Standards for Freshwater (NES-F).

N-Cap campaign: All reports received from the national reporting tool for 2023’s reporting period have now been matched to a dairy effluent consent. Approximately 76% of dairy farms in Canterbury reported their use in 2023, an increase of 27% from the previous year. Of those who reported in 2023, approximately 1.5% reported as over the limit and through subsequent engagement with us have made a commitment to reduce.

IWG campaign: Our approach for the campaign shifted in response to changing national intensive winter grazing regulations. We focused on the environmental effects of the activity, ensuring the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan requirements were being complied with and good management practices were being implemented. Monitoring flights were undertaken in the Ashburton and Selwyn districts, with direct follow-up with farmers where potential improvements could be made.

Result: Progress reports were provided to the section and senior management.

Result: Work programmes were implemented for source/drinking water and onsite wastewater management systems (OWMS). Projects increased our understanding of impacts that OWMS may have on source water used for drinking (e.g. from ESR’s reports below). An education campaign was crafted on maintaining OWMS to meet regulatory requirements, prioritise compliance monitoring of OWMS discharges within drinking water protection zones, strengthen the Council’s reviewed Regional Policy Statement and assist Water NZ to lobby for national consistency of policy and rules. Information was shared with city and district councils to influence where they prioritise investment in three waters infrastructure (e.g. Christchurch City Council’s Banks Peninsula strategy, Selwyn District Council’s reticulation of Darfield and Kirwee townships, Timaru District Council’s granting of consents for subdivisions that rely on individual OWMS).

Result: In 2023/24 we continued working with businesses and trades to prevent pollution entering our drains and waterways. Enforcement actions were taken where existing operators had not implemented sufficient protective measures following our education advice. To protect drinking water, we have worked to enhance compliance with clean fill acceptance at quarry sites, in particular testing fill at sites located within the Christchurch drinking water protection zone.

Result: The Ōtūwharekai working group, consisting of Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga and Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu landowners, Ashburton District Council, Central South Island Fish and Game Council, Land Information New Zealand, Department of Conservation and Central Government agencies worked collaboratively to progress an integrated catchment management approach for Ōtūwharekai.

In-depth work was completed by staff with landowners around on-farm practices and mitigation steps they could take to reduce the impact of their farm activities on water quality in the receiving environment. Work was initiated to ensure the farms in Ōtūwharekai have Farming Land Use Consents in place that will support the water quality outcomes that are needed. State of the Environment reporting and additional monitoring of water quality was undertaken and is ongoing, with results being shared with the Ōtūwharekai working group.

Result: Not measured in this year.

Result: There are 1191 individual farms and single-managed enterprises required to have a Farm Environment Plan in Canterbury. In 2023/24, 528 audits were completed (44.3%), and the target was achieved. This compares to 29% in 2022/23.

Result: In 2022/23, the target was to report on progress against the (Aggregated Consent Entities) ACE work programme, which we did. In 2023/24 improvements in various aspects of the ACE work programme led to the improvement of capability, systems and processes that enabled or assisted the entities to meet GMP. The Irrigation Schemes, which are Aggregated Consent Entities, reported member Farm Environment Plans (FEP) audit results of the 2022/23 year in the 2023/24 financial year. The results showed that 96% of the FEPs held by Irrigation Scheme members met GMP. Action plans are in place for the remainder of the FEP to meet GMP. Action plans are in place for the remainder of the FEP to meet GMP.

Result: A review of whether the Synthetic Nitrogen Fertiliser Cap (N-Cap) and Intensive Winter Grazing (IWG) campaigns efficiently and effectively met their objective to improve landowner/community understanding of new national direction and Land and Water Regional Plan requirements was undertaken. Challenges within the year included an evolving Central Government regulatory environment, necessitating the re-evaluation of the two campaigns, and continuing challenges within the data space. Collaboration with industry partners helped event turnout rates during the year.

Result: All catchment-based partnership programmes (Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour for Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, Te Mōkihi for Te Manahuna/Mackenzie Basin, and Whakaora Whakaora Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere) worked towards the goal of being a Treaty partner of excellence, delivered operational programmes in partnership with ngā Rūnanga and others; implemented their respective annual work plans and budgets; and, submitting progress reports through their respective co-governance structures.

Result: In 2022/23, the target was to deliver work programmes and publish an annual report (PDF file, 20.48KB) for each work programme, which we did. For 2023/24, a review of the outcomes achieved through the Environment Canterbury, Te Mana Ora (Community & Public Health), Christchurch City Council work programme was completed. This was the only active joint work programme in 2023/24. Six projects were reviewed including a project to improve the response to water contamination incidents, which previously saw the establishment of a Response Agencies Preparations (and) Incident Discussions Group (RAPID) forum in 2022.

Result: We reported on the delivery of 10 projects to improve freshwater outcomes identified and supported through Zone Committee Action Plans to the Water and Land Committee on 27 June 2024.

Result: The reports for  2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 can be found on our website.