Time proposed for water plan strongly criticised

Press, 2 June 1982, Page 3

Time proposed for water plan strongly criticised

■ Wellington reporter The time proposed., fry the North Canterbury Catchment < Board'to produce the final y :water., allocation and man-;; agement plan for the Rakaia .• River has been strongly criticised by the National Water and-Soil Conservation Authority in Wellington, a ’’ Members of the authority were appalled that the Catchment Board expected • to take another two years to complete the .work. The Catchment Board has published a pamphlet on its proposals for the Rakaia and calling for submissions. These will close this month. The Catchment Board'will

then conduct field.investigations. to be- completed. in December, leading -jto ' the publication of a:resource report in (February; 1983. Sub<. missions called on this resource report will close in April, 1983.. ’ A . draft water-allocation and management - plan will be/published in June, 1983. and submissions on that will close with .public meetings and hearings in October, 1983. The final plan will be published in March, 1984. Members of the authority felt that the time lag was-far too great. The Catchment Board had been given

(£111,000.,t0 speed up its resource .report, but seemed to have slowed everything down. ’ ’ . The February, 1983, date for the resource report seemed reasonable but having another 13; months until the final plan seemed too long, said the chairman of the Water Resource Council and the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control /Council, Mr M. J. Conway? , The.' authority passed a resolution noting with concern the delay in the planned publication of the final water allocation and management plan., . , ;