Greater Waipaoa Surface Water

The Waipaoa Catchment Plan forms part of the Gisborne Regional Freshwater Plan. This freshwater management framework, including Waipaoa River allocation limits, is under review.  A key focus of the Waipaoa Catchment Plan review is balancing the availability of water for high-priority activities and preservation of the Waipaoa River’s environmental values. 

The Waipaoa Catchment Plan includes: 

• A Block Allocation Cap of 2000 l/s (instantaneous take) with a minimum flow of 1,300 l/s. 
• B Block Allocation Cap of 2000 l/s (instantaneous take) with a minimum flow of 4000 l/s. 
• Council must reduce the total annual allocation to 6,267,500m³ by 2020. 
• Review minimum flows, allocation caps and total allocation in 2025. 

Understanding a river’s Mean Annual Low Flow (MALF) is key to establishing an appropriate minimum flow; a threshold below which water takes must cease.  

A Block takes are for activities that require a reliable source of water, where crop production is dependent on the availability of water. The minimum flow set for A Block allocations is 1300 l/s.  

B Blocks are generally less reliable and are used for water storage and activities outside of the peak use period, such as frost protection. B Block allocations allow the flow to remain in the range most useful to the river’s key environmental values for the longest time. The minimum flow set for B Block allocation is 4000 l/s.