Water right hearings not before April

Press, 9 December 1981, Page 3

Water right hearings not before April

Uncertainty surrounds the timing of controversial water right hearings for the Rakaia River. The North Canterbury Catchment Board had received 133 objections, 16 supporting submissions, and three general submissions on water right applications for two big irrigation schemes and -a salmon farm when objections closed on Monday. The board's chairman. Mr M. J. O. Dixon, said yesterday that it would probably, not arrange hearings until April at the earliest when new wild and scenic rivers legislation came into effect. Hearings could possibly be delayed until mid-1983 when board staff expect to finish a resource management plan for the Rakaia. The new Rivers Act would complicate procedures, with the board expecting an application to give the. river “wild and scenic” protection status. Present applications might also have to be considered under the new act, which was more involved than usual water right hearings. "I am anxious to get all the cards on the table,” said Mr Dixon. “We are not in a position to make a sensible decision until our own resource work is completed or mostly completed.” ' A meeting with all in-

terested parties would probably be arranged early-next year to keep them informed of board plans. Mr Dixon said that the number of objections was the greatest that he could remember in the board's history. Objectors include conservationists. Government departments. irrigation groups, local authorities, and individuals. The Central Plains Irrigation Association scheme attracted 60 objections and one supporting submission. The association has applied for 70 cumecs to irrigate about IOO.OOOha between the Rakaia and Waimakariri rivers. Another 55 objections and two submissions were lodged on the Lower Rakaia Irrigation Association application. The scheme requires 20 cumecs to water about 30,000 ha between the Rakaia and Ashburton rivers. The application by South Pacific Salmon, Ltd, attracted 18 objections and 13 submissions. The company has asked for a minimum natural flow of 123 cumecs in the river for its salmon farm. Board staff expect to receive several late objections this week which were postmarked on Monday but were delayed in the Christmas postal rush.