Long Term Community Plan 2012-2022 - Hurunui District Council

Hurunui Community Long Term Plan 2012 - 2022
Key Long Term Opportunities and
Challenges
Reserve Committee, the Waikari Reserve and Hall Committee,
and the Hawarden Recreation Reserve and Hall Committee.
Water
Water issues, in terms of both opportunities and challenges, are
so important to the entire ward that a separate section has
been included here to showcase this.
• A key issue in the ward over the past 50 years and
probably the next 50 is the use of water from the two
main rivers, the Waiau and Hurunui for irrigation. The
consequential changes to the physical environment,
economic activity and most importantly to the social
structure of the district is a work in progress.
• The impact of the arrival of the dairy industry in the
1980’s has been substantial and provided enormous
opportunities. The future will be heavily influenced by
the potential to store water and to utilise currently
underperforming land.
• It is generally accepted that the real opportunities for
the ward remain with land based industries - both
agriculture and recreation based. To continue to grow
and develop these, the focus is on the rivers, lakes and
hills.
The Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee
The Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee was the first of the 10
zone committees established throughout Canterbury. In August
2011, its Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) was received
by Environment Canterbury and the Hurunui District Council.
This is designed to provide an integrated approach to water
management in the zone while achieving the desired social,
environment, cultural and economic outcomes. The committee
has also agreed on its Immediate Steps Biodiversity Fund projects
and work has already started on some. Projects include wetland
protection, weed control in Conway River and protection and
enhancement or riparain areas.
Hurunui Water Project
The Hurunui Water Project Ltd (HWP) proposes to develop
a community irrigation scheme which includes water storage
dams and hydro power generation. The resource consents
sought have been delayed by the Hurunui Waiau catchment
moratorium. While the moratorium was lifted on 2nd October
2011 applications cannot be processed until 2 April 2012.
HWP’s applications will subsequently be held until 2 April 2012,
at which stage processing will begin.
Hurunui Water Project – Waitohi Proposal
This proposes to develop a series of four water storage dams
on the Waitohi River to irrigate 58,500 ha of land in the Hurunui,
Waipara and Kowai catchments. The dams are proposed to be
located at Hurricane Gully; Seven Hills; Inches Road and in the
Lower Gorge.
Run-of-river water would be taken directly from the Hurunui
River as the predominant supply of water when it is available.
When this water is not available, they intend water stored in the
Waitohi River catchment to be released from the dams to meet
the irrigation demand and provide hydro-electricity generation
capability. Water stored within the dams will be sourced from
both the Hurunui and the Waitohi Rivers.
Hurunui Water Project
South Branch Hurunui River and Lake Sumner Proposal
This proposal involves the abstraction of water from the Hurunui
River, via either an intake near the confluence of the Mandamus
River or an intake 1-2 kilometres upstream from the Dampier
Stream confluence to irrigate approximately 42,000 hectares
of land in the Hurunui and Upper Waipara catchments. Two
storage structures are proposed; a dam on the South Branch of
the Hurunui River and a weir structure on the main stem of the
Hurunui River, just downstream of the outlet from Lake Sumner.
The proposed hydro power generation will be either on the
scheme distribution canal, or located at the proposed dam on
the South Branch of the Hurunui River, or both.
Other Key Long Term Opportunities
and Challenges
• A long term challenge for the Amuri Ward will continue
to be overcoming the shortage of farm labour.
• A recent upsurge in migrant workers has given the
skill shortage a boost but has provided a new set of
challenges.
• It continues to be a challenge for new small businesses
to find premises. Correctly zoned areas are required to
meet the needs of today and the future.
• Another challenge, shared by many small rural towns
in New Zealand, is the viability and thus the retention
of local services and businesses. Economies of scale,
potential efficiencies of centralisation and greater use
of technology all impact on the sustainability of small
businesses and government agencies alike.
• Increased fuel prices in recent years and the recent
economic down turn may have a challenging impact on
the ward’s economic wellbeing.
• Key long term opportunities include ongoing prospects
for tourist related activities and general promotion of
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