To start with. priority catchments and water bodies will be identified. This kicked off in Group One catchments two years ago.
A description of the priority catchments is developed and some easy and non-negotiable improvements identified with a monitoring regime put in place. Objectives and limits associated with the first of these catchments are due to be decided this year.
Plan changes, the final step, might start in Group 1 catchments as early as next year, Group 2 catchments in 2018, and Group 3 catchments in 2021. The council has indicated it expects the “easy to do” interventions to be implemented sooner rather than later.
Auckland Council is developing its Unitary Plan, with further submissions being received. It’s doing a seven-year staged implementation programme to develop catchment-specific objectives and limits to be introduced by later plan changes as each catchment is complete.
Waikato Regional Council is in the very early stages of developing a plan change focusing on water quality in the Waikato and Waipa catchments. The Collaborative Stakeholder Group was formed late last year from community and industry sectors likely to be affected.
This year land-use scenarios will be developed to gauge potential impacts on land owners, with an issues and options paper to be released in November. Public notification of the proposed plan change will come a year later.
The council’s “Variation 5 – Lake Taupo Catchment” came into operation in 2011, introducing limits on annual nitrogen leaching (a cap), and both dairying and drystock farming in the catchment require resource consents. Farms are benchmarked for nitrogen leaching calculated by nutrient budget software Overseer based on the farming system between July 2001 and June 2005 – a Nitrogen Discharge Allowance. It also introduced a mechanism to offset or effectively trade nitrogen between properties.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is in the early stages of developing plan changes to manage freshwater quality by prioritising catchments, with respective rules phased in over several years. The plan change relevant to Priority 1 catchments is scheduled for 2019.
Already in place is Rule 11 which focuses on water quality in Lake Rotorua, Rotoiti, Rotoehu, Okaro and Okareka through the use of nitrogen leaching and phosphorous loss limits based on a nutrient benchmark calculated by Overseer and on land use between July 2001 and June 2004.
Resource consent is required when land use is changed or management practices increase average nutrient export above benchmark levels.
The Gisborne District Council is developing limits for the Waipaoa catchment after completing a feedback process in February.
It will be the first to come under any new rules evolving out of the council’s Freshwater Plan.
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has two plan variations relevant to freshwater management underway. One, Plan Change 5, will lay the foundation for the other, Plan Change 6.
Plan Change 5 is effectively the mechanism for setting nutrient limits and identifies three priority catchments; Greater Heretaunga/Ahuriri, Mohaka and Tukituki. After hearing panel decisions in late 2012 four appeals were lodged with the Environment Court.
The proposed Plan Change 6 is a catchment-specific change focusing on the Tukituki River and deals with both water quality and quantity, meaning it’s likely to affect existing irrigation takes.
It’s separate but viewed as being linked with the proposed Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, where plan changes and resource consents are in front of the Environmental Protection Agency, having been identified as being of national significance and called in by the Minister for the Environment. Decisions are due in mid-April.
And in the deep south…
Southland
Under Plan Change 13, which has operated since 2012 and was approved last month, new dairy conversions or existing farms adding a new dairy require consent to farm and a farm environment plan. Plan requirements depend on soil type and a nutrient budget might be required. No nutrient leaching limits are in place in Southland yet.
Otago
No consents are needed to farm but farmers must comply with prohibited activities requirements relating to good practice.
New nitrogen limits are now active in Plan Change 6a. Three limits have been set; 15kg N/ha/year, 20kg N/ha/year and 30kg N/ha/year depending on location. Farmers have until April 1, 2020 to comply.
