Canterbury region

Groundwater Zone: Hurunui-Waiau

The Hurunui Waiau Water Management Zone boundaries are contiguous with those of Hurunui District Council covering the area between Waipara River in the south to the top of the Hundalees (including the Okarahia River) just north of Conway River/Tutae Putuputa in the north from the coast to the Southern Alps. The takiwā (geographical interests) of two Ngāi Tahu hapū (sub-tribes) straddle the Hurunui Waiau Zone; namely, Ngāti Kurī and Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Ngāti Kurī’s interests extend from Te Parinui o Whiti (White Bluffs) in the north to the Hurunui River in the south, east from the Main Divide out to sea as far as the eye can see. Ngāi Tūāhuriri’s interest extends from the Hurunui River in the north to the Hakatere/Ashburton River in the south (sharing an interest with Ngāti Huirapa/Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua northwards to the Rakaia) east from the Main Divide and out to sea as far as the eye can see.

The zone is dominated by the two large alpine-fed rivers (the Hurunui and Waiau) which have large irrigation schemes abstracting from them. The Culverden Basin has intensive agriculture using water from both the Waiau and Hurunui rivers and plans for further irrigation in the surrounding area. This is placing significant pressure on the water resources and recognition that water storage is required to meet irrigation demands. In the south of the zone the Waipara River has large pressures from surface and groundwater extraction and naturally occurring phosphorus leading to excessive periphyton growth.

Water Use

Groundwater in this zone

Regional councils collect information about how much water is available and manage resource consents for those wishing to take water from groundwater supplies. Use the buttons below to view regional information on: how much water is available, where it comes from and how its used.

Groundwater available: {{waterSource.availableToAllocate}} Irrigation
{{waterUsage.irrigationLabel}} Industrial
{{waterUsage.industrialLabel}} Stock
{{waterUsage.stockLabel}} Hydroelectrical
{{waterUsage.hydroLabel}} Town supply
{{waterUsage.drinkingLabel}}

Groundwater in this zone

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Groundwater in this zone

Accurately estimating the total amount of water available in a groundwater management zone is not currently possible. Regional Councils are working with the Ministry for the Environment on the best way to calculate this figure. We will include these figures on LAWA when they become available. In the meantime, for more information about a particular groundwater management zone, contact your regional council.

Water consents: How much water is consented and used?

Groundwater available to consent

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Consented water in this groundwater zone

Use the tables below to look at how much water is available compared with how much is actually consented within this water management zone. Click the plus to expand subzones where available

Comparing consents and use
Amount available to consent	In this groundwater management zone: {{item.data.totalAvailableAmount}} {{item.data.totalAvailableUnits}} available to consent
Amount consented measured and non measured
Amount used (measured)
	Amount	Units	Consented or used as a percentage of available
Total available to consent	{{item.data.totalAvailableAmount}}			{{item.data.totalAvailableAmount}}	{{item.data.totalAvailableUnits}}
Total consented	{{item.data.totalConsented.amount}}			{{item.data.totalConsented.amount}}	{{item.data.totalAvailableUnits}}	{{item.data.totalConsented.percentText}}
Total consented and measured	{{item.data.totalMeasured.amount}}			{{item.data.totalMeasured.amount}}	{{item.data.totalAvailableUnits}}	{{item.data.totalMeasured.percentText}}
Total measured amount used	{{item.data.totalAmountUsed.amount}}	{{item.data.totalAvailableUnits}}	{{item.data.totalAmountUsed.percentText}}
Total measured volume used	{{item.data.totalAnnualVolumeUsed}}	{{item.data.totalAnnualVolumeUnits}}

The table above shows the amount of water that is available for use compared to the amount that has been consented. The �Total Consented� and �Total Consented and Measured� fields are based on percentages of the �Total available to Consent� field. If this field is not populated no data will be displayed. Some consents require actual use to be monitored and this is presented as 'Total measured volume Used' where available.

Water consents: How is consented water used?

Consents by use in this groundwater zone

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Consented water in this zone

Overall annual volume for {{waterAvailable.year}}

Relative breakdown

Activity	Percentage of total consented	Total volume	Number of consents
{{item.displayText}}	-	-	No data available		{{item.breakdownPercentage}}%	{{item.totalVolume}} m³	{{item.numberOfConsents}}
Total	{{waterUsage.total.percentageConsented}}%	{{waterUsage.total.totalVolume}} m³	{{waterUsage.total.numberOfConsents}}

The above table shows the proportion of water consented for irrigation, industrial, stock, town supply and other. It excludes hydro electricity. In this region/management zone {{hydroUsage.totalVolume}} m³/year is consented for hydro-electricity and makes up {{hydroUsage.percentageConsented}}% of the total water volume consented for this region/management zone

Sites

Monitored sites in this Zone

...retrieving sites.

No sites found.

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