Dam project vital, says veteran farmer

Phil King believes Hawke's Bay should 'get right in behind' the Ruataniwha Dam.

Tikokino farmer Phil King is passionate about the need for the Ruataniwha Dam, and he's no newcomer.

Irrigation and farming have been passions most of his life - even the honeymoon 40 or so years ago included taking his bride on a tour of farm irrigation systems in Canterbury.

He "came home and irrigated". Fast-forward to 2014 and he's determined that all of Hawke's Bay should "get right in behind" the huge water-storage project planned for the Makororo River in the northwestern reaches of Central Hawke's Bay.

As the board of inquiry was about to deliver its draft report on the proposal this week, approving resource consents but laying down strict conditions, Mr King said the project was vital to the farming and economic future of Hawke's Bay: "It's a game-changer, and this is about the water uptake, and getting this across the line."

He's never needed any convincing, but he found it in a presentation from rural and irrigation consultant Nick Hyslop at last week's Irrigation New Zealand conference in Napier, using the experience of Opuha Dam in South Canterbury.

It was completed in 1998 and, since 2007, has been 100 per cent owned by farmers.

Her figures highlighted growth, from productivity to employment, education and recreational opportunity.

She provided case studies of one cropping installation where productive land had more than doubled since before the dam - grain and seed production going from 1400 tonnes a year to 2700 tonnes, and potato production from 4000 to 21,600 tonnes. Full-time equivalent staff increased from six to 30, and the wage bill from $233,000 to $1.08 million as gross farm income increased from $1.6 million to $8.6 million.

A 494ha sheep, arable and cattle finish property had been transformed into a dairy property with gross income increasing from $1290/ha to $7378/ha, with a tax contribution growing as much as six-fold.

She evidenced wider impacts with a case study on a transport company, conceding it was not solely due to benefits from the dam, but more than trebling growth in stock carting, staffing and community sponsorship, most latterly a part of the 4.4 per cent growth record in the Timaru area economy in latest annual figures.

The Opuha project had also created a 710ha lake for water sports, with fishing and other recreational opportunities.

Her report highlighted that New Zealand has an abundance of water, but that "95 per cent" disappears out to sea.