The Tākaka FLAG process covered the catchments of the Tākaka River and its tributaries and the coastal catchments between Wainui Bay and Tukurua.
Tākaka Water Management Catchments.pdf (pdf 745 KB)
The Freshwater and Land Advisory Group (FLAG) was a collaborative community group supported by Council that reviewed freshwater management in the Catchments between 2014 and 2019. The FLAG provided their recommendations report to the Council at Onetahua marae on the 24 June 2019. The FLAG have requested their report be read in conjunction with the report by Manawhenua ki Mohua:
FLAG Recommendations Report - July 2019.pdf (pdf 2.8 MB)
Manawhenua Matauranga Report for the Tākaka Catchments - June 2019 (pdf 3.4 MB)
The Council adopted in-principle all but one of the FLAG’s recommendations at a Full Council meeting on the 21 May 2020. You can read the agenda and report here.(external link)
The one FLAG recommendation not adopted by the Council related to stock exclusion, as this issue was to be covered by a separate national regulation. Subsequently national regulations under the RMA covering stock exclusion came into effect in August 2020. Read more about stock exclusion regulations(external link).
The FLAG recommendations will be used to inform development of a new freshwater plan for the Tākaka Catchments. This process has been delayed due to the resource management reform process and is expected to be continued in 2026-27 once the new acts to replace the Resource Management Act are released.
The future freshwater plan change will also reflect the Water Conservation Order made for Te Waikoropupū Springs. Read more about the WCO here.
Further information on the current planning processes is available here.
To ask a question about this process, email [email protected].
The FLAG report includes a preamble and short executive summary with a list of the 34 FLAG recommendations.
The fundamental aims of the recommendations package are:
The FLAG recommendations cover:
FLAG have identified and defined eight key values of water in the Tākaka catchments and developed management objectives to guide decision making for development of water quantity and quality management (refer Section 6 of the FLAG recommendations report).
A recommended methodology for allocating water in the catchments, including minimum flows protected by cease take and rationing take triggers to protect instream ecology, and allocation limits (set to avoid flat-lining of rivers at the minimum flow) to provide water for abstractive uses, including community water supply.
Focusing on management of land use and land use practices and diffuse discharges, to ensure everyone undertaking activities that have risks to water quality are operating at least at good practice, and supporting and promoting waterbody and riparian vegetation restoration to improve ecosystem health.
The purpose of the group was to consider the existing and potential future water quantity and quality challenges in the Tākaka water management area and develop solutions for managing water allocation and the water quality effects of land use activities.
The FLAG was not a decision making group, but a community-led response to water management which has made recommendations to the Council to inform decisions on water management, including policy and rules in the Tasman Resource Management Plan and implementation of other approaches to water management.
Any decisions the Council makes on new policy and rules are subject to the Resource Management Act Schedule 1 process which enables everyone to make submissions on the changes proposed.
The Council’s Environment and Planning Committee selected the FLAG members from the nominations received from people with a significant interest in water management in the Tākaka area, and appointed representatives from the Council. In their selection, Council considered:
This July 2013 report presents an overview of the surface and groundwater resources, both quantity and quality, for the Tākaka Water Management Area.
The Council commissioned advice from an independent freshwater ecologist, Dr Roger Young, with the Cawthron Institute to provide advice on the aquatic ecological values of water bodies within the Tākaka catchments and make recommendations on setting of minimum flows and allocation limits that protect ecological values. These recommendations provided the basis for FLAG discussions of the allocation regimes in Tākaka. The report also summarises an investigation into nitrate coming from aquifer rock. The report can be viewed below.
In 2015, a panel of independent scientists from around New Zealand were commissioned to provide information to the FLAG on the water quality and ecosystem health of Te Waikoropupu Springs. This work was funded by DairyNZ, with staff time provided by Tasman District Council. The panel included:
The panel provided a report summarising the current data on water quality at the springs and recommending trigger values for key water quality attributes. The report can be viewed below.
Below are a number of information resources provided to the FLAG relating to the health and management of Te Waikoropupū Springs.
Optimised flow model for Arthur Marble Aquifer - Stewart and Thomas - March 2017.pdf (pdf 234 KB)
The nutrient status of Waikoropupu Springs - Stark Environmental - April 2015.pdf (pdf 1.6 MB)
Takaka Valley Groundwater Modelling Technical Investigations - Aqualinc - Dec 2017.pdf (pdf 16 MB)
Continuous Clarity Monitoring in Te Waikoropupu Springs - NIWA - April 2018.pdf (pdf 2.1 MB)
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