Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy
The Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy is prepared under the Local Government Act and is used to inform decision makers about the management of gravel sourced from Canterbury’s rivers.
About this strategy
This Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy identifies outcomes, objectives and actions to achieve well-managed gravel extraction and recommends a management framework to deliver this.
It records and directs our ongoing transition from traditional flood protection to a holistic whole of river approach to flood and river resilience.
The management and control of the effects from gravel extraction need to be considered at both the planning and decision-making stages, as well as when undertaking on-the-ground extraction.
This strategy primarily considers the overarching planning and management framework, whereas the Canterbury River Gravel Extraction Code of Practice (PDF file, 1.06MB).
- Learn more about river-based gravel extraction
- Download the Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy (PDF file, 2.44MB)
Review of the strategy
We reviewed our framework for managing river-based gravel extraction across Waitaha Canterbury.
The document has been prepared following extensive engagement through surveys, written feedback and hui with ngā Papatipu Rūnanga, contractors, agencies and individuals who have roles and interests relating to Waitaha Canterbury’s rivers and gravel management.
A draft version of this document was released for feedback on 17 March 2025, with a total of 29 responses received. Our Councillors adopted the amended Strategy on 30 July 2025.
Find out more about the engagement process for the strategy
Previous strategy
This strategy replaces the first Canterbury Regional River Gravel Management Strategy, adopted by Council commissioners on 1 November 2012.