KEY POINTS:
Residents at Lake Hawea near Wanaka today said the lake was close to its minimum operating level and warned of the environmental cost if more water was taken for electricity generation.
The lake is a key part of the Clutha and Roxburgh hydro dams and Guardians of Lake
Hawea chairman Grant Fyfe said there was only two days of draw-off left.
He called on the Government to acknowledge that New Zealand faced a power crisis and to take steps to protect the lake.
Mr Fyfe said Contact had consent to draw water down to 338m, while a reading a 7pm yesterday show the lake to be at 338.288m.
If Contact maintained the present level of draw-off, the minimum operating level would be reached on Sunday.
However, Contact could take another 2m of water to 336m if all of New Zealand's other power sources were being used, including the Electricity Commission's diesel-fired emergency plant at Whirinaki.
Mr Fyfe said Whirinaki had been operating in recent weeks, suggesting Contact would be allowed to take Lake Hawea beyond the 337m recorded in 1982, even though an extra 2m will provide only 20 more days of draw-off.
He said the guardians vehemently oppose any reduction below 338m.
"Hawea is going to suffer the consequences for months or years to come from having a lower lake, but the country as a whole isn't making any sacrifice," he said.
"The Government refuses to acknowledge there is a crisis, so why sacrifice our environment if there is no crisis?"
Mr Fyfe said minimum operating levels were introduced in the 1970s when the lake fell to 327m, exposing river deltas and causing constant dust storms that carried as far as Ranfurly about 100km away.
Local farmers found their wool quality affected and exposed silt posed a danger similar to quicksand.
Mr Fyfe said there seemed to be a belief that a power crisis would be averted with rainfall in hydro lake areas.
However, Lake Hawea had a relatively small catchment and, until the moist north-west systems arrived in September, any falls in the headwaters would largely be in the form of snow.
Contact spokesman Jonathan Hill said the energy company had been in regular dialogue with the local community about the issue.
"We are in constant contact with them and it has been really constructive," he said.
"We are committed to working with the local community to minimise the impact associated with taking this additional water."
Mr Hill said the level was likely to be drawn down to 338m over the next week or so.
It was also expected to head towards the resource consent minimum of 336m during July.
"We will be using that two metres of water very carefully indeed," he said.
"It is not a position we are pleased to find ourselves in and we are committed to managing it appropriately and in partnership with the local community."
- NZPA
