Waitaki trust drops legal challenge against Meridian

The Waitaki Protection Trust has dropped its legal challenge to state-owned electricity generator Meridian's hydro development in the Waimate district.

The trust and Meridian said today they have signed an agreement to protect the environmental values of the Waitaki River if Meridian's hydro electric tunnel project goes ahead.

"After discussions with Meridian, we felt we could achieve a better outcome for the river by coming to an agreement, rather than fighting in the Environment Court," trust chairman Bob Robertson said.

"If the river volumes are going to be changed anyway, we felt we needed to focus on ensuring the best outcomes to achieve a good long-term environment and habitat in the river under the new lower-flow regime.

"Meridian has listened to our concerns. We are happy with the agreement and will no longer be challenging the resource consent in the Environment Court."

Meridian spokesman Alan Seay said the agreement meant the two parties could collaborate on a number of initiatives if the north bank tunnel project went ahead.

Under the agreement, Meridian would not onsell any of the allocated water which must only be used for power generation. In addition the company would not seek to vary the minimum flow rates specified in the resource consent at any stage in the future.

No new hydro power development in the future would be permitted.

Meridian and the trust would work together to establish appropriate flow regimes and management plans to achieve the best outcomes for habitat and recreation.

Meridian would take specific measures to address the balance between bare river gravels and revegetation using native plants.

Management of gorse and other brush weeds would be undertaken from Waitaki Dam to the sea and more aggressive measures would be taken to control gorse spreading into the dry riverbeds created by the north bank tunnel project.

There would also be a coordinated approach to prevent further encroachment of farmland into the riparian margins exposed as a result of the hydro project.

Eighty hectares of riparian wetlands would be created and maintained on land that Meridian controls to improve habitats in low flow areas and dry river braids.

Meridian would also actively encourage and work with other landholders to create an additional 70ha of managed habitat areas.

Additional river access points would be created through land owned by Meridian.

Meridian would use reasonable endeavours to reduce material levels of didymo and consult with the trust on flow management techniques.

The project would involve taking water from Lake Waitaki, behind the Waitaki dam, into a tunnel, through a power station before discharging it back into the Waitaki River at Stonewall, 34km downstream. It could produce enough electricity to supply 175,000 homes at a cost of $600 million to $900 million.

A water-only resource was granted by Environment Canterbury in December last year.

A hearing of appeals against that decision is due to begin in the Environment Court on June 21.

- NZPA