Read the latest updates about the Rakaia Selwyn Reviews.
Public meetings
Following the release of the Rakaia Selwyn Consents Review Decision, you may have questions about the decision, your consent(s) and/or the appeal process. To assist in responding to your queries, we have scheduled the following meeting times to give a presentation on the decision outcomes and to answer questions. Councillor Angus McKay, Director Don Rule, Consents Review Manager Tania Harris and review team staff will attend the meetings.
- Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Leeston Rugby Club Rooms
8.30 am
- Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Dunsandel Hall
11 am
Update 12th February 2010 - Decision
The Decision of the Hearings Commissioner on the review of Groundwater consents in the Rakaia Selwyn Groundwater Allocation Zone is issued.
Read the Decision.
Contact the Environment Canterbury Consents Review Team
Update 24th November 2009
Update 17th November 2009
As per earlier posting the Commissioners during their deliberations on 3rd and 4th of November made request for additional information. The requests and information provided are as follows:
As part of our deliberations both commissioner McGarry and I have identified a key area of ECan evidence that requires some clarification please. I refer to the “spring depletion” methodology and calculations provided by Matt Smith. We are familiar with the Theis drawdown and spring flow assessment methodology given in the “Guidelines for the Assessment of Groundwater Abstraction Effects on Stream Flow” (Environment Canterbury, 2000), although we are unsure of exactly how Mr Smith was able to:
- Determine the degree of confinement (and associated Ss value being a default 0.0001) applicable to the pumped well and associated spring environment given variability in subject well depth
- Determine actual (seasonal) spring flow variability due to changes in potentiometric head
- Provide estimated spring depletion rates based on Theis depressurisation calculations in relation to the 7-day or 150-day abstraction rates in consideration of (point 2) above.
We would like Mr Smith (as per above) to provide a clear stepwise description of the method(s) used in arriving at the spring depletion rates given in additional information: Attachment 5 – Stream depletion assessments.xls. At this time we can also signal that a request for further information in relation to stream/spring depletion “cut-off” calculations will be made upon resumption of the above matter of clarification.
Please post this letter of clarification and any response onto the council’s website. Your attention to this matter (with some urgency) would be greatly appreciated in order to facilitate our pending information request.
Regards
Tom Heller
Response from Matt Smith (pdf 83 kB)
Update 16th November 2009
Environment Canterbury staff are working on providing the further information requested by the hearing Commissioners and will post all details of the information as soon as it is available. It is expected that the information will be provided to the Commissioners and available on this web page by Friday 20th November 2009.
Update 5th November 2009
After receiving the final written right of replies from consent holders, Commissioner Sharon McGarry and Commissioner Tom Heller conducted a site visit to various locations within the Rakaia Selwyn groundwater area on 2nd November 2009. The details of the site visit will be recorded in final written hearing decision.
On 3rd and 4th of November 2009, the Commissioners held 2 days of deliberations, and are currently focusing on ensuring they have all the necessary information required to make and record their written decision on all 531 water permits under review.
During deliberations, requests for further information have been sought from Environment Canterbury staff, and a list of the information requested will posted on this web page shortly.
Until such time as the Commissioners are satisfied they do not need any further information, the hearing will remain adjourned. The Commissioners will advise Environment Canterbury when the hearing has been formally closed, and a written decision will be released 15 working days from that date. It will be posted on this website when the hearing is closed.
It is certainly the hope of the Commissioners that a written decision will be issued prior to Christmas.
Previous update
Below is the link to the Officer Report prepared by Jacqui Todd in response to the matters raised at the hearing and the further proposed conditions received from the consent holders.
As indicated in earlier minutes from the hearing Commissioners, all parties to the hearing will now have opportunity to make a final written right of reply. To ensure all parties are given sufficient time to receive the Environment Canterbury Officer Report, the 10 working day period to submit the written right of reply will not commence until 5 pm Tuesday 29th September. Therefore any written right of reply should be received by the Council by 5 pm Tuesday 13th of October 2009.
The Commissioners are also considering a site visit to the area and have asked that any suggestions for sites of interest to also be received by Tuesday 13th October. These can be included in your right of reply or by separate mail and will need to provide reasons why the site of interest is being recommended.
Once the written rights of reply have been received, the Commissioners will begin their deliberations. A decision will be issued to parties in due course.
If you have any queries on the hearing process or your consent under review please contact Sarah Drummond on 03 363 9389 or sarah.drummond@ecan.govt.nz or the officer managing your consent.
The Officer Report prepared by Jacqui Todd in response to the matters raised at the hearing and the further proposed conditions received from the consent holders can be found on the Reports and Factsheets page.
The hearing was adjourned on the 13th of August 2009 for the Final proposed conditions to be circulated etc as per the latest minute of the commissioners.
Hearing details for 13th August 2009
The hearing will resume on Thursday the 13th of August 2009 at 9.30 am. The Commissioners directed that only people present on the 3rd of July who booked a time can be heard on the 13th as per the list below.
- CRC001750.2 Mr G D Heslop
- CRC970873.2 Mr R J Heslop
- CRC010502.1 Mr P W B & Mr D P Birkett
- CRC011093.1 Mr & Mrs N C & D M Greenwood
- CRC971182.2 Mr & Mrs D J & A M Carter
- CRC010877.1 Mr A S McPherson
- CRC010833.1 Mr D G & Mrs K L Chamberlain
- CRC982147.1 Mr I G Odell
- CRC010870.1 Brooklands Farm Limited
- CRC030328.1, CRC000520.1, CRC082256.1 Mr S W Osborne
Environment Canterbury staff are still available to work with consent holders if you have any queries please contact them ASAP.
As the hearing is resuming the dates set out in the Commissioners' minute of June 2009 have now shifted as follows:
- Within five working days from the adjournment of the hearing (now 13 August 2009), consent holders who have been heard may provide final alternate consent condition wording to CRC (Environment Canterbury)
- Within ten working days from receipt of any alternate consent condition, CRC shall provide a response indicating either support or opposition and may clarify any matters raised during the hearing. CRC shall circulate any specific response to each consent holder, and any general response to all parties heard.
- Within 10 working days from receipt of any CRC response, consent holders may provide a written right of reply.
In providing for further comment, all parties are reminded to remain within the scope of their original evidence, and not to introduce any new evidence.
The hearing for the Rakaia Selwyn consent reviews by Independent Commissioners commenced on Tuesday 2nd of June 2009. The notice of hearing, Commissioners' Minute and hearing instructions are available on the hearings page.
Overview S42A report of Jacqui Todd and further information requested can be found on the reports and factsheets page.
If you have any further questions, please email Sarah Drummond or contact her direct on 03 363 9389.
The Rakaia Selwyn reviews hearing re-commenced at 10.30 am on Tuesday 30th June 2009.