Dry weather means water rationing needed

December 20th, 2012

With the dry weather and record-low rainfall over the past month or more, water rationing is beginning in parts of the Tasman district, though not yet in Motueka.

TDC's Dry Weather Taskforce Convenor, Dennis Bush-King, said that water rationing for users on the Waimea Plains will be implemented effective Monday, 24 December.

"We have seen a continuing decline in groundwater levels and the Waimea River flow which got down to 2.6 cumecs will continue to drop by up to 100 litres per day.

"The rain we got Tuesday - 10mm in the Wairoa Gorge and 3mm on the Plains - while having a temporary effect on river flows will not really alleviate the overall dry situation, the soil moisture deficit, and the low groundwater levels," said Mr Bush-King.

"With water demand increasing as is the norm over this period, and continuing dry conditions, river flows in the Waimea would deteriorate quickly over the next few weeks so stage two and stage three rationing could be implemented quite quickly. Growers should plan for this prospect."

Mr Bush-King said 50mm of rain on the plains would be just what is needed to alleviate current conditions.

"The Moutere and Motueka zones are also getting dry and reaching record lows for this time of year. Water has been released from the Kainui Dam to help the Wai-iti River. Rain and release of water from the Cobb Dam has helped in Golden Bay, but the prognosis is for dry conditions affecting the whole district over the New Year," said Mr Bush-King.

Council will also issue a Conserve Water Notice in the urban areas of Richmond, Mapua - Ruby Bay, Brightwater, Hope, Wakefield, Tapawera and their rural extensions. This also applies to the rural water supply schemes of Redwood Valley, 88 Valley, and Dovedale.

November was one of the driest on record in Nelson and this month is also running short of rain, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

Motueka received just 7 per cent of its normal rainfall in November and Takaka 21 per cent, which were the third-lowest totals on record, while Nelson Airport got 26 per cent of its average, to be the fifth driest November.

Niwa agriculture climatologist Alan Porteous said average rainfall and temperatures were forecast over the region during the next three months, but what mattered was when that rain fell.

The unusually low soil moisture - 20 per cent drier than normal - increased the chance of the region experiencing tough conditions over summer. "Typically soil moisture doesn't recover a great deal through to the end of March so I would be worried," Mr Porteous said.

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