Welcome to the May 2019 edition of On-Stream
There's plenty happening this month. If you live in or near the Arrow or Cardrona River catchments, we invite you to be involved in discussions about the future management of these rivers. We also have a reminder about keeping effluent out of waterways and off roads on "Gypsy Day", and some updates from our rural liaison team, including good practice for winter grazing to help protect the quality of our waterways by keeping sediment out of them.
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| Do you live in the Arrow or Cardrona River catchment areas? Be part of the discussion about the future of these waterways. |
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ORC is reviewing the Regional Plan: Water and wants to build on the great work the Arrow River and Cardrona River catchment communities have already done to establish values for their waterways.
We know we have talked with you before about your values for the Arrow and Cardrona Rivers and also that others in the region are doing similar work that links with those discussions, which means we aren’t starting with a blank slate. We need to have this conversation because our new plan framework needs to be consistent with the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM), so this is our first step towards putting the previous work into the NPSFM context.
This means that the values you highlight for the Arrow and Cardrona Rivers will become important benchmarks for setting objectives and determining water quality and flow level limits for each river. How values will be used for policy setting has changed, so you may have some new thoughts that we need to understand.
In the Cardrona River catchment area, your community said you value irrigation and viability of farming, protection of aquatic ecosystems, recreation and aesthetics, and protection of the water resource.
In the Arrow River catchment area, your community said you treasure the Arrow’s amenity values: the clear water, scenic surrounds and recreational opportunities. You also identified the need for a reliable, good quality supply of water for community and irrigation use that doesn't degrade the river’s natural values after the water has been taken.
Please let us know us whether these values still reflect what is important to you, and if you have any other values you want to contribute.
You can tell us in person:
- On 27 May 2019 at either 12.30pm or 7pm at the Arrowtown Bowling Club (click here for more details)
- On 28 May 2019 at either 12.30pm or 7pm at the Lake Wanaka Centre (click here for more details)
Or go online at yoursay.orc.govt.nz anytime until 7 June 2019.
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| Updates from your Rural Liaison Team |
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Earlier this month I attended the NZ Beef & Lamb 'Farming for Profit Field Day' held near Heriot. The section on environmental considerations focused on winter forage crop management, in particular mitigation strategies where the crop is close to a waterway.
Craig Simpson, Otago coordinator for the NZ Landcare Trust, highlighted how important it is to achieve and maintain good water through a sensible grazing approach, including grazing from top to bottom and managing the critical source areas (CSAs) differently to the rest of the paddock.
Local farmer, Simon O’Meara, noted that strategic thinking at the planning stage reduces the potential risks of winter grazing. In particular, making sure the protective margin is in sympathy with the slope of paddock i.e. as the slope increases so must the margin. Another consideration is the degree of risk that CSAs pose and the amount of 'thinking management' required.
A group discussion on the CSAs included the following:
- The importance of identifying the CSAs in the paddock before the crop is established.
- The decision as to whether the CSAs should go into crop or remain in grass will depend on the slope, soil stability and distance from the waterway.
- If they are put into crop, you need to graze in late winter or early spring when conditions are generally less moist. This decision will be determined by slope, soil stability and distance from the waterway.
Hot tip: Immediately after the crop is established, mark the CSAs out with markers to make sure that these areas are grazed last. Once a crop is fully established it becomes more difficult to accurately determine the exact extent of a CSA.
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Hopefully everyone is getting a last little bit of grass growth this autumn and had a great duck shooting. It seems there was a lot of teal seen around the Clutha this year.
The Waiwera catchment group was successful in obtaining funding from the last ECO Fund round to purchase silt fence cloth to trial in swales or critical source areas of worked paddocks this winter. The idea is to use them at the bottom of the paddock to catch any sediment runoff before it hits the nearest waterway. Keep an eye out for these and, if you have a steep paddock which you are winter grazing this year and would like to try one out, let me know and I will try and sort one out for you. You just need a way to put it up, but it seems a couple of waratahs will do the trick.
Applications for the current ECO Fund round closed on 20th May, but if you have ideas for the next round and want some advice, feel free to give me a call.
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I attended a DairyNZ good management practice field day in Milton last week which focused on wintering. At the field day we had a great in-the-field discussion on winter crop grazing management and strategies for mitigating sediment and surface water runoff. It’s surprising what planning can be achieved by spending a couple of minutes observing and strategising before the stock hit the crop.
Although the paddock we were in had limited slope, collectively the attendees came up with strategies around how to split the paddock up into blocks, how to avoid grazing critical source areas until last, having additional stock water and utilising the fence to poke the trough through and shift cleanly.
Lastly we spoke about buffer widths and various options for vegetation to have in a buffer strip. This included leaving a width of crop, leaving a grassy strip, fencing and planting with a selection of natives and/or exotics, or a combination of all three. It's worth checking out DairyNZ's Good Management Practices Guide, even if you aren’t dairy farming. And remember it’s not too late to have a quick review of your plan!
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We are very pleased to advise that Jason Evered is joining the Rural Liaison and Support Team at the end of this month and will represent the North Otago area. You may have met Jason through his previous work at the Waitaki District Council. Look out for his contact details in next month's On-Stream once his feet are under the desk.
In the meantime, check out this video produced by NOSLaM and B+LNZ about the Kakanui Community Catchment Project. It's a good example of the great work farmers in your area are doing to achieve environmental improvements.
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Arrowtown Warmer Homes Show
Come along to Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall on 23 May, anytime from 11am to 7pm, to find out how to have a warmer, healthier home this winter. We'll also have info available on ORC subsidies to replace non-compliant solid-fuel burners. Find out more |
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Harbourmaster's Boat Launch
Today we launched the new Harbourmaster's boat, named 'Kaitiaki', which means guardianship. Thanks to everyone who sent in ideas for the new name! Check out the new navigational safely bylaws, including new life jacket requirements, for when you are out on the water. |
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Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan
People who submitted on the proposed Pest Plan can talk to their submissions at hearings next month in Dunedin and Queenstown (dates below). This is the next stage towards having an updated Pest Plan for Otago. Find out more |
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What's coming up?
23 May - Arrowtown Warmer Homes Show
27 May - Arrow catchment water values discussion at either 12.30pm or 7pm
28 May - Cardrona catchment water values discussion at either 12.30pm or 7pm
1 June - Gypsy Day
4-7 June - Proposed Pest Plan hearings in Dunedin
17-18 June - Proposed Pest Plan hearings in Queenstown
For a full list of ORC meetings click here. |
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Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it. If you have been forwarded this email and would like to subscribe, please email us at water@orc.govt.nz.
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