Water sharing schemes: insights from Canterbury and Otago Water sharing schemes: insights from Canterbury and Otago Martin Ward Environmental consultant Shona Russell Landcare Research Prepared for: Foundation for Research, Science and Technology PO Box 12240, Thorndon, Wellington 6144 August 2010 31 Moncks Spur Road, Redcliffs, Christchurch 8081 Landcare Research, Gerald Street, PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand, Ph +64 3 321 9999, Fax +64 3 321 9998, www.landcareresearch.co.nz Reviewed by: Approved for release by: James Lennox Michael Krausse Senior Researcher Science Team Leader Landcare Research Sustainability & Society Landcare Research Contract Report: LC0002 © Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd 2010 No part of this work covered by copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, information retrieval systems, or otherwise) without the written permission of the publisher. Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................ v 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 2 Research Approach ....................................................................................................... 3 3 Background ................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Legislative changes ......................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Changing government involvement in water sharing schemes ........................................ 5 3.3 Arrangements for water use and distribution.................................................................. 7 4 Drivers for water sharing ............................................................................................... 9 4.1 Canterbury ................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Otago ........................................................................................................................... 11 4.3 Summary of drivers....................................................................................................... 12 5 Case studies ................................................................................................................ 13 5.1 Canterbury: Te Ngawai Water Users Group ................................................................... 13 5.2 Canterbury: Ashburton–Lyndhurst Irrigation Company ................................................. 14 5.3 Canterbury: Opuha Water Partnership .......................................................................... 16 5.4 Otago: Kakanui Allocation Committee & Friends ........................................................... 18 5.5 Otago: Maniototo Irrigation Company .......................................................................... 21 5.6 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 23 6 Conditions for success for water sharing schemes....................................................... 27 6.1 Community-based leadership ....................................................................................... 27 6.2 Local identity ................................................................................................................ 28 6.3 Shared knowledge and development of trust ................................................................ 28 6.4 Reliable and up-to-date information ............................................................................. 29 6.5 Good relationships with regulators ............................................................................... 29 Landcare Research Page iii Water sharing schemes: insights from Canterbury and Otago 7 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 30 7.1 Other institutional responses ........................................................................................ 30 7.2 Insights from Social Capital ........................................................................................... 34 8 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 35 9 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 36 10 References .................................................................................................................. 36 Page iv Landcare Research Summary Project and Client This report presents findings from an examination of the development of communal irrigation schemes to understand characteristics of their formation and operation that might inform future development of such schemes. It was prepared in 2010 for the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, and end-users of the Old Problems New Solutions Project 1 (C09X0702). Old Problems New Solutions examines how researchers and policymakers work together with water users and communities for the governance for sustainable management of water resources. Objectives Our research sought to find out: What drivers have shaped the development of water sharing schemes? What are the characteristics of these water sharing schemes? What are some of the conditions that have been important in the development of schemes? Approach The project examined the development of water sharing schemes for irrigation in Canterbury (Te Ngawai Water Users Group, Ashburton–Lyndhurst Company, and the Opuha Water Partnership) and Otago (Kakanui Water Allocation Committee and Maniototo Irrigation Company). The findings presented in this report are informed by interviews with key individuals linked to those groups and staff from regional councils to identify these conditions. The insights from interviews are supported by insights from literature about the historical development of irrigation and the primary sector in New Zealand. Findings Water sharing schemes have developed in response to drivers such as: Desire for more reliable supply of irrigation water Pressure from new irrigators for water allocations Challenge to regional councils of monitoring thousands of individual consents Increasing awareness of the need for more active management of water resources 1 See http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/programme.asp?Proj_Collab_ID=94 Landcare Research Page v Water sharing schemes: insights from Canterbury and Otago Over-allocation of surface water resources leading to extreme low flows in some rivers Shortcomings in early planning and consenting, especially around environmental flow volumes Characteristics of the schemes differed with regards the origins of the scheme, whether storage was available, whether water sharing or rostering arrangements were in place, and the sources of water supply for each scheme. Other factors such as the development and management of relationships both internally between members of the scheme, and externally, with regulators and other stakeholders, and the use of telemetry have been important in the management of both the water sharing scheme and on-farm irrigation. We identified a set of „conditions‟ that have been important in the development of these schemes and that are likely to be so in the future: Community-based leadership Local identity Shared knowledge Reliable and up-to-date information Good relationships with regulators Conclusions & Recommendations The research has identified a range of development pathways for water sharing schemes from those that originated from historic mining rights to others that were formed in response to Environment Court decisions. Trust relations within schemes and with others, particularly regulators, are increasingly important especially as there is a move from regulation to collaboration for the management of New Zealand‟s water resources. Further research could examine Development pathways of water user groups in other parts of the country Impacts of changing nature of relationships between schemes and regulators, such as in relation to monitoring of water abstraction, influences the development of water sharing schemes The linkages between the development of water sharing schemes with other collaborative responses to water management and how such collaboration will be supported by government agencies, regulators and the irrigation industry. Page vi Landcare Research 1 Introduction Water is vital to land use activities. Reliable access to water for stock and irrigation is particularly important to agricultural activities in New Zealand. In dry or drought-prone areas, a reliable water supply enables farmers to increase and maintain stock numbers and helps ensure crops mature to harvest in profitable yields. In response to the need for reliable supply of water, water sharing schemes have developed allowing for irrigation. In 2001, irrigation schemes serving from 500 to 30,000 ha provided irrigation water to farmers over more than 165,000 ha in New Zealand (MAF 2001). This report presents findings from an examination drivers and conditions that have been important in the development of water sharing schemes in Canterbury and Otago. The report was prepared in 2010 for the Foundation for Research, Science