Further information about the proposed scheme can be viewed on Meridian Energy's website, including the application details and assessment of environmental effects.

Minute of commissioners - Lower Waitaki, Hunter Downs (pdf 673 kB) uploaded 9 July 2009

The application was notified in May 2007 and over 400 submissions were received on the proposal, with over 200 submitters requesting to be heard at a public hearing. The hearing began in October 2007 and was adjourned in December, so that other applications in process for water takes on the Lower Waitaki River could be heard prior to a decision being issued on the Hunter Downs Irrigation Scheme application (see the Procedural Statement below).

Minutes

Hunter Downs Irrigation - Second Minute (pdf 220 kB) - 21st January 2010

Hunter Downs Irrigation Ltd – Commissioners’ First Minute (pdf 131 kB) - 15th December 2009
Hunter Downs Irrigation Ltd – Appendix 1 of First Minute - Commissioners’ Interim Decision (pdf 150 kB) - 15th December 2009

Evidence from Reconvened Hearing

2nd set of proposed conditions (pdf 293 kB) - 3 March 2010

Second supplementary brief of evidence of Brian Ellwood (pdf 2.97 MB) - 3 March 2010

Draft proposed condition – Pru Steven (pdf 89 kB) - 3 March 2010

Pre-circulated evidence for resumption of Hunter Downs Irrigation applications

South Canterbury Irrigation Trust and Meridian Energy Limited

Legal submissions of Jo Appleyard & Ben Williams (pdf 503 kB) - 2 March 2010
Appleyard & Williams - Attachment (pdf 1.99 MB)

Evidence of Sarah Dawson (pdf 154 kB) - 1 March 2010

Evidence of Brian Ellwood (pdf 114 kB) - 1 March 2010

Evidence of Rob Potts (pdf 1.43 MB) - 1 March 2010

Hearing information

Procedural Statement

On 19 December 2007, when the Hunter Downs Irrigation Scheme hearing was adjourned, Commissioner Skelton read a Procedural Statement issued by the Hearing Panel, indicating how the decision making process would proceed during 2008. A copy of the statement was sent to all submitters on the application, and all other applicants seeking water from the Lower Waitaki River and its tributaries. Use the link below to view the Procedural Statement:

Procedural Statement of Hearing Panel (pdf 14 kB)

Environment Canterbury investigating officer's report

In advance of the public hearing of a resource consent application, an Environment Canterbury consents investigating officer prepares a report for the decision maker, as specified by Section 42A of the Resource Management Act, which includes an examination of the assessment of environment effects provided by the applicant in relation to the proposed activity, discussion of the relevant statutory documents, and analysis of submissions made on the application. Use the link below to read the officer's report prepared for the Hunter Downs Irrigation Scheme hearing, and appendices.

Read the Officer's S42a Report (pdf 938 kB)

Appendices (pdf 2.08 MB)

Further information

After the date of lodging of the application, and prior to the commencement of the hearing, the South Canterbury Irrigation Trust and Meridian Energy Limited provided further information about the proposal, to add to the assessment of environmental effects included with the original application. In many cases, this information was requested by representatives of Environment Canterbury in order to better understand the proposal and its effects. Copies of the further information provided can be viewed using the links below:

Memo Response to Hydrology Questions (pdf 60 kB)

NIWA Report Nutrients and Wainono Lagoon (pdf 10 MB)

Report Drainage around Wainono Lagoon (pdf 243 kB)

URS Report Groundwater Levels (pdf 1.45 MB)

URS Report Mass Balance Modelling (pdf 3.15 MB)

Boffa Miskell Report Ecological Assessment (pdf 3.22 MB)

Draft Farm Management Plan (pdf 1.15 MB)

Draft Proposed Conditions (pdf 107 kB)

Draft Scheme Management Plan (pdf 812 kB)

Fish screen Condition (pdf 29 kB)

HDIS Presentation Day May 2007 (pdf 32 kB)

Memo Geomorphic Effects (pdf 1.53 kB)

Memo HDIS Reliability (pdf 31 kB)

Memo Mass Balance Report (pdf 24 kB)

Memo Question Response (pdf 16 kB)

Memo Response to Ecology Questions (pdf 124 kB)

Procedural pre-hearing meeting

A procedural pre-hearing meeting was held in July 2007, which established the way the hearing would be run once it commenced in October 2007. The results of that meeting were minuted, and can be viewed using the link below:

Read the pre-hearing Minute (pdf 22 kB) 

If you can't download any of the above documents, please contact our Customer Services team on 0800 EC INFO