Recreational and commercial water use : a workable solution

The New Zealand Kellogg Rural Leaders Programme develops emerging agribusiness leaders to help shape the future of New Zealand agribusiness and rural affairs. Lincoln University has been involved with this leaders programme since 1979 when it was launched with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, USA."This report examines the problem of conflicting water use. There is a finite resource of water and an increasing number of bodies wanting to abstract it from the water bodies and use it for various uses; irrigation, power generation, urban supply to name a few. At the same time recreation water users and conservationists are becoming increasingly concerned as they see this precious resource being used out of river and becoming increasingly degraded. Drawing on in-depth interviews with some of the key players in resource planning, Fish & Game and Federated Farmers, it examines the current situation, looking at the issues raised and attempting to identify a solution which resolves the conflict and adequately manages the water resource. It then considers the merits of the Resource management Act. It examines the purpose and principals of the Act and looks briefly at perceived problems with the process for developing statutory water plans in order to manage these emotionally charged conflicts