Federated Farmers: Water storage a no brainer

When it gets too dry, the only way to stimulate growth is with water.

Water storage will never stop the types of drought declared throughout the eastern South Island this past summer.

But water retention schemes can blunt their impact and negate their effect.

It should be a no-brainer. We are, as Geoffrey Palmer so famously once put it, a pluvial country -- in other words, it rains a lot here.

In simple terms, the problem is that most rain falls when it's too cold for pasture to grow. And, conversely, it doesn't rain when it's warm enough for pasture to grow.

We are so accustomed to farming in between these seasons in our spring and autumn flushes that we don't realise in other parts of the world, it doesn't happen that way. It's not even universal in New Zealand.

It certainly applies for the east coast. From East Cape to the Clutha, farmers take the summer dry for granted. A drought is merely a longer dry period than usual.

There are four good reasons why we should not put up with this uncertainty and why we develop water storage.

The first is that we are told the climate will bring more frequent, acute and widespread dry periods. Even the hardy native plants dying off this summer.

Historically, regions outside the east coast belt didn't have summer droughts. Stock could be sent from east to west and feed from west to east. Alarmingly, in some of the past few summers, droughts have become more widespread. The safety margin is disappearing.

Secondly, the status quo is no way to run a business. If New Zealand is to meet the Government's goal of doubling the value of primary exports by 2025, its achievement must rest on water storage capacity.

We currently dry off dairy cows early or cull dry stock when it gets dry. The free sunshine goes to waste when it should be powering our production of animal protein for export. The works -- both dairy and meat -- cut back early and lay off staff. First they are struggling to cope, then they are idle. That is no way to run a business either.

The third good reason is that dam storage is more environmentally-friendly and sustainable than coaxing more water out of aquifers. The great Ogallala Aquifer in the western United States has irrigated vast grain crops for export to hungry people in hungry countries for decades. Perhaps the world's greatest irrigator, it has been the salvation against starvation for many.

Yet, the Ogallala, and other major world aquifers, are suffering depletion and shrinkage. At best, they will take thousands of years to recharge.

In contrast, New Zealand water storage projects are sustainable and renewable. Even the Opuha Dam in South Canterbury will recover and recharge over a winter or two. Once the dams are built, the benefits are effectively permanent. Like genetic gain, it does not need to be constantly rebuilt.

The fourth reason is the recreational and other benefits of lake water storage. Our world champion rowers honed their skills on Lake Karapiro in the Waikato. That's an artificial lake created as one of the chain to generate electricity for our cities. The play area was the by-product of hydroelectricity capacity.

There are other recreational and economic benefits. The Opuha River has, for example, the continuing flow created by the lake behind the dam.

A supply of water was obligated under the consent to construct the scheme. Water storage arrangements for supplementary flow can improve the health of a river system too fragile to cope with climatic fluctuations. Communities in towns and cites can enjoy clean, plentiful, certain and cheap water supply. Fishing, sailing, aquiculture and tourism opportunities lie behind each dam as well.

Unfortunately, a lot of contemporary political thinking, and legislative underpinning, on major works of any sort is less ambitious and much more negative than a generation ago. They are terrified of anything bigger than a cycle lane.

They see dams as a plot to encourage dairy farming as though that was case proven.

The ancient civilisations of Rome, in particular East Asia or Mesoamerica, were all built on water storage and sophisticated reticulation of that water. The technology freed populations from drudgery and famine.

Our position is no different and is as stark. If water storage is not developed, our nation's economic future is bereft of options. With adequate water storage, our future is as sure as anything in an otherwise uncertain world.

The best time to build these dams was 20 years ago. The next best time is today.