Hurunui Water Project
Hurunui River SH1

Our Vision 

We have an opportunity to turn the Hurunui into a lush and green productive area.  Today it is a dry, sparsely-populated district that tourists find attractive, but the land is unable to sustain growth because of ongoing drought.  Change is afoot, as the farmers in the area rise to the challenge of improving production and meeting global needs for food. There is plenty of water, but in the wrong places.

Why Water Storage?

Storing water would allow 42,000 hectares in the district to be irrigated, and flows in the Hurunui River could be boosted and toxic algae flushed away. We are proposing a community irrigation scheme with hydro power generation based on Lake Sumner and the South Branch of the Hurunui River. Find out more about our thinking and how you can be involved.

Resource Consent Update

The Hurunui Water Project is re-activating its resource consent application for water from Lake Sumner and the South Branch of the Hurunui River. Last October the project placed the application on hold so it could work with other parties outside of legal processes. It was hoped a collaborative solution could be found through the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS). But after three months, few other players outside of the Hurunui District Council have shown support for this approach. To ensure our proposal maintains its status with Environment Canterbury, the project will now seek to re-activate its application. See Environment Canterbury website for application details.

Water Conservation Order    

Hurunui Water Project has withdrawn its application to postpone the Water Conservation Order (WCO) appeal hearings for the Hurunui River scheduled for mid year. Project Manager Amanda Loeffen says the project now believes that the WCO appeal hearings should proceed as scheduled as other applicants do not support a delay. For more information see media release 18 Jan 2010. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is really our last hope as drought seems to be continuous.” Robert and Jean Forrester - Omihi Farmers (click here for their full story)

"Without reliable water, it's likely the Hurunui will continue to experience population decline and falling farm incomes.  Please support us as we work towards a sustainable, cost effective water solution for Hurunui District."  Amanda Loeffen, Project Manager, Hurunui Water Project

"Canterbury’s ongoing prosperity in every sector and in every community throughout this great region depends on managing and supplementing nature’s irregular and sometimes limited water supply."
Garry Jackson - Hurunui Mayor
 

Files to download

Right mouse click and "save" the file to your computer or click to view it onscreen.
If you cannot open these files, the following software may be downloaded:
Adobe Reader

 Hurunui Water Project brochure
Read about the Project's resource consent application and use the Freepost coupon to submit in support.
 HWP newsletter May 2009
Read about what we've been up to! How the WCO hearings process has gone, when you can meet with us next, and our plans for a resource consent application for a water take.