Explore the national freshwater rules, simplified for easy navigation.
In 2020, the Government introduced a set of National Environmental Standards and Regulations to help restore and protect the health of our waterways within a generation.
These rules apply to all farmers and sit alongside existing regional requirements in the Tasman Resource Management Plan. They’re being rolled out in phases, giving both you and Council time to prepare and adapt.
We’ve broken these rules down and presented them here in a clear, easy-to-understand format so you can see what they mean for your farm.
The national rules cover the following topics:
Freshwater Farm PlansYou’ll need a certified Freshwater Farm Plan if your farm meets any of the following criteria:
Find out about the new requirement for a Freshwater Farm Plan for your farm.
Synthetic Nitrogen Fertiliser capOn grazed land, you can apply no more than 190 kg of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser per hectare per year without a resource consent.
You must record all fertiliser use, and dairy farmers need to report these records to Council annually.
Find out how the new rules might affect synthetic nitrogen caps on your farm.
Intensive Winter GrazingThe coalition Government has simplified the National Regulations for Intensive Winter Grazing, effective from 25 October 2024.
Farmers now only need to follow two key standards.
Find out how the new rules might affect intensive winter grazing on your farm.
Keeping Stock out of WaterwaysThe coalition Government has simplified the National Stock Exclusion rules. These changes became effective from 25 October 2024.
This means that beef cattle and deer that are not intensively grazed (i.e., that are not break-feeding or grazing annual forage crops or irrigated pasture) no longer need to be excluded from lakes, some wetlands, or rivers wider than 1 metre.
All other stock classes, and intensively grazed beef cattle and deer, must still be excluded from these water bodies with a minimum 3m setback.
Find out how the new rules might affect stock exclusion on your farm.
Wetland management
Find out how the new rules might affect wetland management on your farm.
Agricultural intensificationThe coalition Government revoked the National Agricultural Intensification rules on 1 January 2025, making them no longer relevant.
These national rules dictated how you could expand/modify certain land uses, like dairy farms and support land, and irrigated areas.
These rules began on 3 September 2020 and ended on 1 January 2025.
Feedlots and stockholding areasYou can use land for feedlots and stockholding areas without a resource consent if at least 90% of the cattle are under 4 months old or weigh less than 120 kg.
If your stock doesn’t meet these criteria, you’ll need a resource consent.
Find out how the new rules might affect your feedlots and stockholding areas.
Water meteringIf you have a consented water take, you must have a water meter installed.
Weekly water meter readings need to be reported to Council
Find out more about water metering and how this applies to you.
Fish passageIf you’ve installed culverts, weirs, flap gates, fords, or dams after 3 September 2020, they must meet minimum environmental and reporting requirements, including things like height, width, and location.
Some structures may also require a resource consent, so it’s important to check before you build or modify.
Find out how the new rules affect fish passage on your property.
