Environment Southland has taken the unprecedented step of issuing a Water Shortage Direction covering the whole of Southland.
The direction, which will initially be in place for 14 days, directs that irrigation water takes are required to cease immediately.
Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips said the current level of rivers and aquifers and the lack of rainfall predicted over the next few weeks has meant that we have issued this first water shortage direction.
“The intention with the water shortage direction is that by removing water takes for irrigation we will be able to ease some of the pressure on our rivers and aquifers,” Mr Phillips said.
“Some rivers and aquifers are now at critical levels, and while we acknowledge this direction will create challenges, we must take action to reduce water use in order to protect the health of the rivers, while ensuring we still provide for essential human and animal health water supplies.”
Environment Southland will be actively monitoring water levels and consent activity, and may need to issue further directions for other activities in the near future.
Today Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced a medium-scale adverse event for the Southland and Clutha and Queenstown Lakes districts, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the region.
This adverse event classification provides $100,000 in Government funding to support farmers and growers from now until October 2022.
In addition to having a very dry summer, Southland has had one of the driest years to date when compared to other years. The region has had about 57 percent of the normal rainfall. Coastal areas have only had 49 percent of the normal rainfall. This is the driest year to date since Environment Southland’s records began in 1970.
“Working with those impacted is incredibly important. We know the rural community in particular is dealing with both this water shortage and staff shortages due to Covid, and this is affecting our processing industries as well,” Mr Phillips said. “Many farmers are taking action now, and we’ll continuing to work with the Rural Support Trust, councils and others to support those most affected.”
Councils have put water restrictions in place across most of Southland, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand has issued a complete fire ban for Southland.
“We urge all Southlanders to consider your household, farm and business water use and look at where you can make some savings.”
More information about the current low water levels and is available on Environment Southland’s website at www.es.govt.nz/low-water-levels, including tips on how to conserve water, graphs of aquifer levels, live river levels and situation updates.