ON THE THRESHOLD OF NEW IRRIGATION SCHEMES

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33786, 7 March 1975, Page 6

ON THE THRESHOLD OF NEW IRRIGATION SCHEMES

In the next few months the construction of two new irrigation schemes may begin in North Canterbury.

In a small area on the north side of the Waiau river and below the Waiau township farmers have, until today to return forms indicating whether they are prepared to take water and follow an approved plan of on-farm development for irrigation. The District Commissioner of Works and the chairman of the Canterbury officials committee on irrigation, Mr P. F. Reynolds, said this week that subject to the agreement of the farmers in this area it should be possible to begin construction of the scheme within the next two months. At the same time in the area of the major Waiau plains scheme in the Cuiverden and Rotherham districts, it is likely that proposals will go to a vote among farmers involved next month or in May, and subject to the vote being favourable construction of this scheme, estimated to cost a total of $7.5m, could start before the end of the year. Mr Reynolds said this week that the irrigation policy of the present Government had involved some quite major departures from previous policy. These changes, in particular, involved the Government in meeting the total initial cost of reticulation of water and also on-farm development for irrigation, with a proportion of these costs being recovered over a period of years. In general terms the Government would subsidise off-farm works to the extent of $ for $ and on-farm works to the extent of $1 for $2. The Government was insistent, too, that to obtain the best return for money invested, on-farm development should be designed and programmed to go on hand in hand with reticulation of water off the farm to ensure that the whole of the irrigible area was brought under irrigation as soon as reasonably possible. As with all new policies, it had taken a little time to set down new procedures in detail. Some time ago the National Water and Soil Authority had recommended procedures for the initiation of new irrigation schemes and this had been approved by the Minister f of Works and Development, Mr Watt. Mr Watt had also now announced that procedures and requirements had been laid down for subsidised on-fann development. Still remaining to be given approval were procedures for the operation and maintenance of schemes and for the reassessment and upgrading of existing schemes. It was part of Government’s policy that there should be a review of all existing irrigation schemes with a view to their improvement and modernisation and also to achieving a rational approach to charges for water availability — the charge for meeting the farmer’s share of the capital cost and interest, and the cost of running the scheme, maintenance and repairs. •- The Canterbury officials’ committee on irrigation had received 26 applications for assistance under the Government’s new policy — there were a few others but they were of minor importance. Of these 17 were for major new irrigation schemes or for existing major schemes requiring

reappraisal. In all but three further progress was dependent on more knowledge about the availability of water and the preparation of water allocation plans by regional water boards. The first of the major schemes to get the “goahead” in Canterbury under the new Government policy is the Waiau plains scheme or, as it is sometimes known. the CulverdenRotherham scheme, which more truly identifies its location. The area of the scheme is mainly between the Waiau and Pahau rivers, but it also includes a small group of seven or eight farms on the south side of the Pahau River. There are altogether some 60 or 70 farmers in this scheme, covering about 17,000 hectares, for which water will come from the Waiau about the Leslie Hills bridge. Mr Watt recently announced approval in principle for this scheme. Approval has also been given for the spending of $50,000 on more detailed investigation and also the establishment of a pilot farm in the area to show farmers what can be done with water. Mr Watt also agreed that st.ens should be taken to define a district for the scheme preparatory to a noil being taken among farmers to determine whether the project should go ahead. It was hoped that this poll would take place next month or in May, Mr Reynolds said this week. Sixty per cent or more farmers must be in favour to carry the issue. While any further progress was dependent on the outcome of the vote, Mr Reynolds said that the Ministry was proceeding with its investigations in anticipation that the result of the poll would be favourable. A Crown water right for water from the Waiau River had been applied for some time ago, he said, and it was expected that the North Canterbury Regional Water Board would be in a position to make its recommendation on the application shortly. In addition, detailed surveys had been carried out on the line of the upper end of the main race, so that subject to farmer approval and Government agreement to proceed with the scheme, the Ministry would be in a position to start construction before the end of the current year. The Ministry with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries had also started on the planning of on-farm development in the area. Mr A. W. B. McMillan, who is chairman of the farmers’ irrigation committee in the area of the proposed scheme, said that everyone was very irriga-tion-conscious in the area. They were sick of droughts and could see irrigation being an answer to their problems, and after a period when there had been ample rainfall they had had an opportunity to see what water, could really do. But he sounded a small note of warning. There was every prospect that the vote at the poll would be in favour of irrigation going ahead, but that was provided it was shown that it was economic. It was hoped that before the vote was taken every-

one was given a lot more information about the costs and returns from irrigation. With the downturn in economic conditions costs were something that were uppermost in people’s minds. They had to be sure that too much of a burden was not being put around people’s necks. It had been indicated that all on-farm development should be completed in four or five years. He was concerned that this rate of development might be too quick. A large amount of money would be required and repayment and interest costs could be high.

The crux of the matter is basically whether extra returns from irrigation will justify the debt land. A representative of the Rural Banking and Finance Corporation said this week that money for on-farm irrigation development was available on the same terms as for development. Where the farmer had no indebtedness the interest on up to $30,000 borrowed would be 51 per cent and over that amount the interest rate would be 6 per cent.

When this money involved a second or subsequent mortgage the comparable interest rates would be 7 and 8 per cent. On completion of the work two thirds of the cost was brought on charge, a third placed in a suspensory loan, and a mortgage taken for the total amount involved.

The term of any loan would be set on the ability of an individual property, to pay. The bank would also consider applications for development funds for fencing and purchase of additional stock which were outside the initial development costs associated with irrigation. According to a source outside the district, there is also some concern that! farmers in the area may not be sufficiently aware of the changes in" management and labour inputs that irrigation will involve, so that there could be some problems when the water eventually arrives.

Just north of the Waiau plains scheme is the Waiareka Downs scheme, apparently called after the property in the scheme which was formerly fanned by Mr T. Tothill, who had made the initial moves for irrigation in the area. It 1 has been approved in principle for some time. The area of this scheme; is on the north side of the! Waiau river, just down-! stream from the Waiau township. Here it is planned to irrigate flats, adjacent to the river with' water from the river. About seven to nine farmers are involved in this! enterprise and the area toi be irrigated is in excess of--400 hectares.

Mr Reynolds said that work on the detailed design of this scheme had now been completed and farmers were currently being approached to signify their agreement to the scheme proceeding. Subject to the agreement of the farmers, Mr Reynolds said that the proposals would go to the National Water and Soil Authority for final approval, and it should be possible to start construction within two months.

Mr G. W. Flintoft, who now farms the Waiareka Downs property in the irrigation area, is hopeful that all farmers in the area will be in favour of it. He sees irrigation as “a great necessity. If you had been here in the last three

droughts you would know why.” he added when questioned about the need for irrigation >in the area. Even last year he said that although 14in of rain fell in 16 days in September, near drought conditions had returned by the end of October.

Although he says it will be a few years before all of the border dyking is done and production patterns under irrigation take shape, he expects that there will be a marked benefit in extra carrying capacity. About 225 acres of his 348-acre property will be able to be irrigated.

Mr K. A. Kidd, who farms nearby, also expects a boost in stock carrying capacity with irrigation. About half of his 476 acre property will be irrigated.

Mr Reynolds said that construction of the main races and feeder races on the Waiau Plains scheme would be done partly by contract and partly with the Ministry’s own forces, while it was probable that the main race for the Waiareka Downs scheme would be done by contract. For on-farm development work, he said that the Ministry was building up its ability to handle this work both in plant and manpower, but if the work proved to be too much for the Ministry to handle contractors’ plant would also be used to supplement its own.

The other scheme, for which approval in principle was given last year, is the Glenmark scheme. Mr Reynolds said that this was a special type of scheme with water being pumped fr.om streams in times of surplus or plenty and held on farms in read-

iness for use in the summer. This scheme covered about 2800 hectares of which the irrigatable area was about 570 hectares. Under the Government's policy where the Ministry did not have the resources to undertake a project, it had the powers to delegate the task, and in this case the Waipara County Council had agreed to initiate the scheme and also carry out the design and subsequent construction of the

scheme to the approval of the Ministry. The detailed design of this scheme is at present being carried out by Mr T. D. Heiier. of the New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute at Lincoln, as consultant to the county council. An extension of the Redcliffs scheme in South Canterbury was approved at the end of last year and this work should be started in the next two or three months, Mr Reynolds said.