Opposition To Use Of Irrigation Well

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32302, 21 May 1970, Page 5

Opposition To Use Of Irrigation Well

The granting of a right to pump irrigation water from a well on a farm at Tai Tapu was opposed by the Greenpark Tai Tapu Irrigation Association when . evidence was heard yesterday by a special tribunal set up to make recommendations to the North Canterbury Catchment Board, as the regional water authority. The applicanls were Mr J. H. Oldfield, a farmer, rural water and farm consultant, and his wife, Mrs M. E. Oldfield. They sought a right to take 300,000 gallons a day from a well 144 feet deep on their farm at Tai Tapu, to irrigate by sprinkler. The tribunal comprised Professor H. J. Hopkins, head of the civil engineering department at the University of Canterbury (chairman), Mr I. Calvert, a lecturer in agricultural engineering, and Dr W. R. Holmes, a member of the Catchment Board.

Mr C. E. Purchase appeared for Mr and Mrs Oldfield. Mr R. A. Young for the association and Mr E. J. Somers assisted the tribunal. 6in Well Inadequate Mr Oldfield said a six-inch irrigation well had proved to be inadequate and he had sunk a 10-inch well. He had had no complaints from other farmers, his own supply was not affected and there was no interference with a well on his neighbour’s farm. To Mr Young, Mr Oldfield said that when he was sinking the 10-inch well, asso-

elation members might well have asked what he was doing. He was not a member of the association, and had been told he could not be, as he owned a deep well. Mr E. V. R. Harris, South Island director of A. M. Bisley and Company, Ltd, the firm that sank the well, said that there were separate water strata in the district at from 45 feet to 65 feet, and from 120 feet to 145' feet, with little or no connection between the two levels.

Asked by Mr Young why tests on the well had not been carried out during the drought, Mr Harris, said that the drought had no effect on the static level of aquifers. He had no knowledge of the effect of rainfall on aquifer levels. “Serious Position” The association faced a quite serious position, said Mr Young. The association had seen in “The Press” last Saturday that a man named Duncan, at Lincoln, had applied for a right to draw 700,000 gallons of water a day for irrigation. If the depths of wells was not controlled and no restriction was placed on water volume and pump sizes, the association believed that there must be an adverse effect on underground water, said Mr Young. As most of the 33 members of the association were dairy farmers for town-milk supply, water for pasture irrigation and stock was vital to production. Any detriment to the supply could affect milk sup-

plies for Christchurch. On the Oldfield farm, water would be drawn to irrigate crops at the time of peak demand for irrigation and stock water on dairy farms. Association's Agreement Mr F. H. Eggleston, president of the association, said members had agred not to take water from the second water layer except for stock, and to draw irrigation from the first layer. He asked the board to take expert advice, and if necessary, to sink test bores to get water data. It was essential to keep second strata water free-flowing.

To Mr Purchase, Mr Eggleston said he would not agree that there were hundreds of farmers in the association’s 80-square-mile district, but a large proportion of the farmers would use irrigation. The association had overlooked a Lincoln College well application advertisement, and had not opposed it. The would investigate applications by Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd, and Watts, advertised on Saturday. , Giving names of members who had objected to the Oldfield well, Mr Eggleston agreed that their properties were up to three miles away; but the association’s objection was on a question of principle. The association wanted someone to police the use of water.

LITTLE RlVER.— Bogey—Men: R. T. Craw. 3 up. Women: Mrs L. Craw. 2 up. Ladies' bisque bogey: Mrs R. Craw, 7 up: Mrs C. Thacker, 3 up.