Irrigated land area
Increasing reliability for irrigated areas requires progress to be made in water management at farm and scheme level. The goals for irrigated area and reliability will be refined through:
- the regional storage plan and zone implementation programmes
- more definite location-specific knowledge on the potential for efficiency improvements
- testing infrastructure proposals against the fundamental principles
- setting environmental limits
- refining financial viability and funding mechanisms.
Under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS), goals were set to help make a difference to our environment and how natural resources are managed. Environment Canterbury reports on progress on behalf of CWMS partners.
Here's how things are progressing against 2020 goals. View information on:
Land area reliability
2020 goal: Improved reliability of supply for at least 50% of irrigated land.
Has the goal been met?
Reliability improvements are being progressed across Canterbury through development of both storage and piping of new and existing schemes. New large-scale regional storage solutions have not been progressed in favour of improving efficiency of new and existing infrastructure. This includes making use of small- to medium-sized water storage as well as improved methods for operating existing large-scale storage. Efficient on-farm water use results in water storage being able to enhance reliability of supply to larger irrigated areas.
- Several irrigation schemes throughout Canterbury continue to work towards improving reliability through storage and greater efficiency of delivery. They include Waimakariri Irrigation, Central Plains Water, Rangitata Diversion Race Management and Opuha Water.
- IrrigationNZ will continue to progress strategic actions to improve efficiency and reliability of irrigation.
- Irrigation users and schemes will continue to seek improvements in energy efficiency of existing and new infrastructure.
Infrastructure
2020 goal: Started construction of regional storage and improved reliability of supply for at least 50% of irrigated land.
Has the goal been met?
Reliability improvements are being progressed across Canterbury through development of both storage and piping of new and existing schemes. New large-scale regional storage solutions have not been progressed in favour of improving efficiency of new and existing infrastructure. This includes making use of small- to medium-sized water storage as well as improved methods for operating existing large-scale storage. Efficient on-farm water use results in water storage being able to enhance reliability of supply to larger irrigated areas.
2020 goal: Started construction of infrastructure identified in zone implementation programmes.
Has the goal been met?
Infrastructure projects that make use of and build upon existing irrigation infrastructure to contribute to environmental outcomes are now operational in both the Selwyn and Ashburton regions – the largest irrigated land areas in Canterbury.
These infrastructure projects are associated with other CWMS target areas, including environmental flows, braided rivers, and ecosystem health and biodiversity.
- The Hekeao / Hinds Managed Aquifer Recharge project is underway across several small and large sites in the upper and lower Hinds plains. Now managed by a trust, the project takes water from the Rangitata and recharges groundwater through infiltration basins, with the aim of protecting targeted drinking water supplies, improving river and stream flows and improving groundwater quality.
- The Waikirikiri / Selwyn Near River Recharge project has been fully commissioned, and now operates when its consent conditions are met. It uses Central Plains Water consents and pipe infrastructure, discharging it into the groundwater system near the Waikirikiri / Selwyn during dry periods, enhancing cultural, environmental and recreational values.
- IrrigationNZ will continue to progress strategic actions to improve efficiency and reliability of irrigation.
- Irrigation users and schemes will continue to seek improvements in energy efficiency of existing and new infrastructure.
- Environment Canterbury continues to facilitate the development of a regional infrastructure solution that aligns with the new requirements of the Essential Freshwater Package and the intentions of the CWMS targets.