Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Dry in south but wet up north

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A mild, dry winter and a good start to spring has set Canterbury farmers up well but there’s concern of a big dry setting in. Opuha Water chief executive Andrew Mockford said farmers have revelled in the great winter farming conditions but they have not put snow on the hills or water in the lakes and rivers.
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While there was rain and just the third snowfall of the season early this month, there has not been enough to maintain the level of South Canterbury’s Lake Opuha.

“There’s been no silver bullet to change the fundamental situation, the snow receded very quickly and there’s just not been the snow to keep flows up this year.”

Mockford said proactive measures with early season restrictions are being taken to hopefully avoid serious impact when the irrigation season comes around.

“We are reliant on Mother Nature to bring snow and rain events to replenish the lake but we just haven’t had them this winter.

“The lake level is presently about 80% full, which is reasonable in isolation but when combined with the low snow pack at present and lower than normal lake inflows, the combined water picture is behind where we would ideally like it to be.”

A Water Shortage Direction for the Opihi River and its tributaries, which include the Opuha River and Lake Opuha, has been in effect since September 1.

It requires Opuha Water to maintain a minimum flow of 5.2 cubic metres a second in the Opihi River when the lake is above 375 metres. It is now at 390 metres. 

There are no irrigation restrictions in the Direction but the Opuha Environmental Flow Release Advisory Group, comprising representatives from district councils, farmers, Opuha Water, river users and tangata whenua, asked Opuha Water to ensure water permit holders reduce their water takes to 75% of their consented volumes.

Lake capacity, lake inflows and snow pack are all important to the amount of water available for river flows and irrigation over a season. All three are causing concern, Mockford said.

“Looking ahead to short and mid-term forecasts we are not seeing any significant rain on the horizon that will change the conditions significantly.

“Longer term seasonal forecasts are still debating whether an El Nino pattern is coming although looking more likely than not but point towards lower than normal rainfall in the next two to three months.”

Group chairwoman Judy Blakemore said the early months of the irrigation season are when river restrictions are more amenable with higher minimum flows.”

“The peak summer months have lower minimum flows and therefore there is much less ability to make any meaningful impact as the 2014-15 season demonstrated.

“The drought that year clearly illustrated the need for early intervention,” she said.

“We acted too late in 2014, not putting restrictions on until December 1.

“We want to do everything in our power to ensure that the 2018-19 season is not a repeat of 2014-15, which saw an empty lake, very low river flows and a stop to all irrigation.”

From Mid and North Canterbury to Nelson and Marlborough should be primed for good growth in the next few weeks with 20mm to 50mm of rain falling early this month. 

Mid Canterbury cropping farmer David Clark said “How the season will pan out will depend entirely on what the spring will bring us.”

Stock have done extremely well over winter with good prices filling the void left after a very disappointing harvest last season.

“The crops are looking magnificent at this point. Certainly, we are looking at a better harvest than last year but it’s a long way to go, a big wait and see.”

Southland and Otago mostly missed out on the rain but still got the cold. 

The first week of spring has been pretty ugly for much of the North Island that’s suffered heavy rain and cold weather creating significant on-farm damage, slips and flooding. 

Lamb losses are also reported as being significant in Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and some central districts some places got 200mm of rain.

Farmers in those regions report that as a tough blow that’s created large financial losses for the worst-affected farmers.

It’s also expected to make a dent in early lamb supply to processors.

Feed has become a concern for many around the North Island because it’s hard to grow good grass when paddocks are so wet.

Sunshine is the number one wish for North Island farmers hopeful the rain has now met MetService’s outlook of a wetter September.

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