The Aupōuri Peninsula has seen a huge expansion in avocado orchards, with consent now granted for them to take more water from the Aupōuri aquifer.
The Aupōuri Peninsula has seen a huge expansion in avocado orchards, with consent now granted for them to take more water from the Aupōuri aquifer.
The Department of Conservation will decide next week whether to appeal controversial water consents on Northland's Aupōuri Peninsula.
DoC met yesterday to consider an appeal against the consent, and is expected to make a decision next week.
More than $145 million of potential Northland horticultural development across 24 properties on the Far North's Aupōuri Peninsula has gained consents to take more than 4.5 million cubic metres of groundwater each year from the Aupōuri aquifer.
Independent commissioners David Hill and Peter Callander have granted consent for the equivalent of more than 1800 Olympic swimming pools of groundwater to be taken from the aquifer each year.
DoC appealed a similar 2018 Motutangi-Waiharara Water Users Group (MWWUG) collective water take consent application by 17 avocado growers. This consent went to the Environment Court then High Court.
The commissioners granted the applications to Northland Regional Council (NRC) by 22 people referred to as the Aupōuri Aquifer Water User Group (AAWUG).
DoC has until September 21 to appeal the decision, which allows more than 1000 hectares to be irrigated with 4.52 million cubic metres of groundwater annually.
DoC Kaitaia operations manager Meirene Hardy-Birch said her organisation had a responsibility to advocate for the conservation of natural resources.
Northland's internationally important 4000ha Kaimaumau wetlands are at the heart of DoC's environmental impact concerns, focused on the impacts for local natural water features including dune lakes and streams.
Consent opponent Karyn Nikora was extremely disappointed the consent had been granted.
Aupōuri aquifer avocado orchard consents independent Commissioners Peter Callander, left, and David Hill (chair) pictured during the hearing at Kaitaia.
Among her concerns were toxic chemicals from the many sprays used to grow avocados getting into the groundwater.
The 216-page hearings consent decision released by NRC on Tuesday follows three days of hearings in Kaitaia in September.
It comes after the MWWUG was granted consent to take 2,060,655 cubic metres of water from the same Aupōuri underground aquifer annually – the equivalent of 824 Olympic swimming pools. The AAWUG consent was granted in spite of more than 80 per cent of 113 original submissions being in opposition.
NRC said 92 of the 113 submissions received by the November 1, 2019 deadline were opposed, along with seven neutral and two in support. NRC also later accepted 18 late submissions.
Key submission issues raised included long-term impacts on the aquifer, effect on existing bores, water quality and contamination, ecological impacts, salt water intrusion, cultural considerations and a number of other issues.
The commissioners said while the sum total abstraction sought was large in terms of quantity, the evidence clearly indicated it was relatively small in comparison with the annually available throughput of the aquifer and was sustainable from that point of view.
The regional council said an estimated 2850 million cubic metres of groundwater was stored within the overall Aupōuri aquifer system in an average year.
AAWUG applications originally sought 4,606,260 cubic metres annually.
NRC said expert evidence suggested that originally-sought quantity was 0.16 per cent of the 2850 million cubic metres of Aupōuri aquifer groundwater stored in an average year. It was also only 1.9 per cent of the estimated 238 million cubic metres NRC used to allocate water from the overall Aupōuri aquifer system.
Avocado expansion on the Aupōuri Peninsula.
Far North iwi Te Aupōuri has the biggest property able to be developed as part of the new horticulture development, converting a 300ha former Lands and Survey pastoral farm.
Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri chief executive Mariameno Kapa-Kingi said getting the consent was positive news.
Kapa-Kingi (Te Aupōuri/Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa) said it added to her determination to move forward, enabling Te Aupōuri to decide how to use its land to best advantage with options including avocados, berries or citrus.
"When our land is flourishing, and buzzing, so will we be," Kapa-Kingi said.
"When our young people have jobs, they feel better about themselves. They contribute more to their families and marae. Young people coming up after them can watch them in action [as strong role models]. It all builds to strong Māori communities."
Up to 150 new jobs are expected to result across the new AAWUG horticultural developments.
Ian Broadhurst, Kaimaumau orchardist, Mapua orchard manager and AAWUG applicant said the collective consent had adopted the same robust management control principals put in place for the MWWUG.
He said growers were as committed as anybody else in the community to using Aupōuri groundwater sustainably.
"There are quite a lot of people with concerns about the water take. These concerns are mirrored by us [growers]," Broadhurst said.
Avocado El Dorado on the Aupōuri Peninsula.
Haami Piripi, Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa chair, said the consent offered opportunity.
Market gardening is among development proposed for a joint Ngāi Takoto/Te Rarawa owned Ahipara property at the southern end of the aquifer.
"It's a good day for science and commerce, they have had a good dance together," Piripi said.
It was good for growing food and the sustainability of whanau and communities. It would also provide the ability for marae to access fresh drinking water, catering to the needs of communal facilities.
Two independent review panels are to be set up. One is made up of two irrigation experts, the second a hydrologist and an ecologist to "adequately cover concerns regarding wetlands", NRC said.
The panels could make recommendations if abstraction rates reductions were required to avoid unacceptable effects.
The consents will run for 12 years until November 2033, also the expiry date for the previously-granted MWWUG groundwater take consents.
