The Central Otago Environmental Society (COES) believes the health of the Manuherekia Rohe/River needs to be prioritised and welcomes consultation undertaken by the ORC, but hopes tangible outcomes will be achieved. 

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has released the Manuherekia Scenarios document for community consultation on how we manage the Manuherekia River into the future.

The Central Otago Environmental Society (COES) has been a consulting participant in the special group set up by the ORC to understand the health and functional needs of the river in order to consider what might be done to restore the river – the Manuherekia Reference Group (MRG).

“We welcome the chance for the local community and all parties to have input into this public discussion,” said Mike Riddell, Chair of COES. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to remediate the Manuherekia – one of the most degraded and over-allocated rivers in the country.”

“For many years under historic gold mining rights, the river and her tributaries have been abstracted largely for irrigation purposes. 

“Goldmining practices have been aligned to the Resource Management Act (RMA). 

“Goldmining water rights transferred for irrigation have yet to be meaningfully integrated into the RMA. 

“During the so-called transition stage of nearly thirty years the river has dwindled and deteriorated through inaction by those responsible for its health. 

“Increasing pressure from changes of land use, particularly through increasingly intensified beef and dairying land uses, have placed unsustainable demands on this taonga.”

COES has lobbied for the health of the Manuherekia in accordance with the current government’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater 2020 (NPSFM), which advocates for Te Mana o te Wai – the life and mana of the river before all else.

COES upholds the hierarchy of values denoted in the NPSFM which is binding on regional councils:

• first, the health and well-being of water bodies and freshwater ecosystems
•  second, the health needs of people (such as drinking water)
• third, the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being, now and in the future.

“It is evident from the scientific research reported to the ORC, and which forms the basis of the Manuherekia Scenarios material, that the optimum functioning of the river is obtained when the flow is 4,000 litres/sec or higher,” a COES statement says.

COES states that is not possible due to over-allocation and increasing extraction by agricultural and horticultural users of the river’s water. 

“It is time for the ecological needs of the Manuherekia and its tributaries to be prioritised for the future health of the catchment - a significant change.” Mike says, “and we expect that the community and the ORC will endorse this expectation.”

“This is not an exercise in balancing the needs of the river against the commercial exploitation of it for private profit. 

“Several generations of expanding agricultural growth with so-called ‘balancing’ cuts to the life of the Manuherekia and her tributaries have sapped the energy and vitality from the river. 

“The priority is clearly the well-being of the wai before all other demands made upon it.

“COES is grateful for the consultation undertaken by the ORC, and hopes the statutory responsibilities on that authority will be upheld in the final decision-making process.

“The river existed before us,” Mike says. “Now is the time to honour it and restore it to its abundant and vital life, so that we may pass it on to our grandchildren as one of Central Otago’s great treasures.”

Details for the drop-in sessions:

Alexandra: 

Alexandra Community Centre / Memorial Hall, Skird St, 27 May from 1pm to 8pm with staff presentations at 2pm and 7pm.

Omakau:

Omakau Hall, 28 May from 1pm to 6pm, with a staff presentation at 4pm.

Information on the scenarios and how to give feedback can also be found online, at https://yoursay.orc.govt.nz/manuherekiascenarios, and a paper copy of the information can be requested by calling 0800 474 082. 

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