Environment Canterbury's water allocation zones relate to ground and surface water.

  

Canterbury has quite unique hydrology where above an individual property there can and are several geographical levels for water management relevant to sustainability limits and cumulative effects. These include surface water catchments, groundwater zones and stream reaches

 

The concept of water management zones attempts to characterise the region's hydrology by creating a geographical area that allows for these multi layered catchment boundaries, groundwater zones and irrigation and water supply and use.  

  

Allowing for the 10 water management zones to incorporate both ground and surface water features assists Environment Canterbury to practicality manage the work we are doing.