User:Alan Liefting/Articles/Irrigation in New Zealand

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The amount of land under irrigation in New Zealand is increasing, driven predominantly by a rise in conversion of land use to dairy farming, and concerns are being raised about the environmental effects.

Freshwater usage
Of the total amount of freshwater allocated for use in New Zealand 77% is used for irrigation. The amount used varies between regions with the Marlborough region using ??%.

Statistics New Zealand record the physical stocks of water but do not include irrigation in the accounts since there is insufficient data. The maximum annual volume of water for which use has been consented is 5 km3.

Water storage
Canterbury has low rainfall and storage dams have been built or are in the planning process in order to increase the availability of water. The Opuha Dam was constructed to supply water for irrigation in the ??????

The Central Plains Water irrigation scheme is currently in the planning stage. This scheme will source water from the Rakaia and Waimakariri rivers to be stored in a dam that will flood the Wainiwaniwa valley. The water will be used to irrigate 60,000???? ha of the Canterbury Plains. Opposition to the scheme is based on concerns for indigenous biodiversity, increased nutrient run-off and loss of privately owned land under the storage lake.

Irrigation be region
Lakes Manuwai and Waingaro at Kerikeri, purpose-built irrigation dams containing 12,800,000 m3 of water

Canterbury
Water abstraction, predominately used for irrigation, has doubled over the period between 1990 and 2006 in the Canterbury region.


 * Barhill-Chertsey scheme
 * CPW
 * Waiau Plains irrigation scheme
 * Opuha Dam
 * Rangitata diversion race

Environmental effects
A number of lakes and the majority of lowland stream have degraded water quality due to nonpoint source pollution.

The voluntary Dairying and Clean Streams Accord was initiated in order to improve water run-off quality from farms. Water run-off is due to both rainfall and irrigation.

Political action
In ???? the Labour-led government ???? initiated the Sustainable Water Programme of Action. The National Party, the major party in opposition to Labour, recommends "minimum environmental flows" and transferable water permits. This will need an amendment to the Resource Management Act in order to be implemented.

At a local government level there has been changes in political representation at the Canterbury Regional Council (Ecan) level due to concerns about water. ????

In 2011 the National-led government allocated up to $400 million to facilitate irrigation projects. ........ expand..........

Random notes

 * New Zealand Irrigation Association formed in 2001
 * border dyke schemes