Ashburton Zone Committee meeting

The Ashburton Zone Committee will meet at the Ashburton Council Chambers on 26 June for its monthly meeting.

At the meeting the committee will receive a number of presentations from experts and industry leaders relating to water issues in the zone.

The committee will begin the meeting with a presentation on Environment Canterbury’s Gravel Management Strategy. Environment Canterbury is currently seeking public comment on its draft river gravel management strategy (closes 29 June).

Extracted gravel will play an important part in the rebuild of Christchurch and the strategy aims to ensure river gravel extraction is sustainably managed throughout Canterbury.

Another focus for the committee will be on Environment Canterbury’s draft Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP). Environment Canterbury made its working draft of the LWRP available for public feedback on its website in April.

The purpose of the LWRP is to identify the resource management outcomes or goals for managing land and water resources in Canterbury to achieve the purpose of the Resource Management Act (1991) (RMA).

The committee has had earlier briefings and this presentation will update them on the changes that have been made in response to comments and feedback from interested parties around the region.

The committee will also be updated on the progress of the Regional Water Management Committee and receive a progress report from Environment Canterbury on the implementation of the on-the-ground actions arising from the Ashburton Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management.

The ZIP was finalised in late 2011 to give effect to the goals in principles in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. It has since been endorsed by councils as the basis for the design and realignment of work programmes, for drafting regional plan provisions.

Following this, the committee will receive more detailed information on the long-term issue of groundwater quality and drinking water from the Ashburton District Council, Environment Canterbury, and the Canterbury District Health Board.

The Ashburton Zone Committee is a joint committee of the Ashburton District Council and Environment Canterbury. The Ashburton zone extends from the Rakaia River to the Rangitata River and includes Ashburton, Rakaia and Methven.

Meeting information

Ashburton Zone Committee meeting
9:00am, Tuesday 26 May 2012
Council Chambers, 5 Baring Square West, Ashburton

Read the agenda (314 kB)