It’s one of our natural resources, but a lack of water in the right place, at the right time, could severely hamper the productive potential of the Wairarapa Valley.
That’s the word from Bob Tosswill, Chairman of the Wairarapa Regional Irrigation Trust (WRIT), who says climate change has the potential to have a “considerable impact” on the economic prosperity of Wairarapa and the rest of the Wellington region.
“It became clear back in 1997/8, as part of a Central Government funded research project into drought-mitigation issues, that we needed to look at regional irrigation and options like water harvesting and storage on a regional scale,” says Bob.
A feasibility study found that 40,000ha. of land was potentially irrigable, with 30,000ha initially targeted, at a total capital cost of $160 million. However, the proposal received a mixed response, partly because of the high costs that would be passed onto users, and also because existing ground reserves were adequate for those who wanted irrigation.
So the project was placed on hold for a few years, but evidence that predicted more severe droughts, coupled with the fact that ground water reserves were becoming fully committed with restritions likely in drought conditions, led to the belief that storage of sustainable flows was sustainable and encouraged by central and local government through Regional and District plans.
“In 2004 the project was approached by Meridian Energy Ltd (MEL) who had an interest in further investigating the scheme and ultimately in developing and building such a scheme,” says Bob.
“Meridian has the ability to fund, manage the consenting process, and construct such a scheme. The company has considerable experience in the management of water resources through its hydro electricity schemes in the south island.”
About this time, WRIT was set up with representatives from the local farming and business community.
“Meridian also fits well with the Trust’s aim of a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable scheme.”
WRIT has entered into a Heads of Agreement with Meridian Energy Ltd that sets out the joint path to investigate and plan the development of a regional scheme, and has also partnered with Grow Wellington who will provide management and financial support for the project.