Farmers dismantle pump sheds

A dairy farming family has dismantled pump sheds used to irrigate their farm from bores close to the Taumata Lagoon in rural Carterton.
Melvin and Helen Herrick were denied a renewal of resource consent to continue irrigating from the bores after a special environmental hearing was held in Masterton earlier this year.
A campaign to have the irrigation stopped was mounted by the Herricks' near neighbours, Neil and Sylvia Hayes, and their supporters.
The Hayes couple own part of the historic oxbow lagoon and claimed the irrigation draw off was reducing the lagoon levels to critical lows thereby killing off native trees and grasses and threatening many species of waterfowl.
Having lost out on the resource consent renewal, the Herrick family later declared their intention to appeal the decision but have now taken away the pump houses.
Mr Herrick said the dismantling of the pump sheds did not mean the appeal had been dropped.
He confirmed attempts are being made to secure irrigation rights utilising water from the Waiohine River but said the appeal is still in progress.
Greater Wellington Regional Council officer Stephen Thawley said the appeal is "still live".
He said "discussions" are being held with both the Herricks and Mr and Mrs Hayes and their supporters.
The future of the appeal depends on how the court chooses to deal with it, Mr Thawley said.
He said meanwhile the Herricks application regarding taking water from the Waiohine River is still being processed.
Mr Hayes said once irrigation from the two bores stopped before winter the water level in the lagoon immediately started to recover.
Now, several months on and with the benefit of winter rainfall the lagoon is in splendid condition, he said.