Clutha water sustainability discussion farmer-led

Otago Regional Councillor Carmen Hope (left) talks with farmers (second from left) Ash Townsend, Richard Steel and Denis Greer, from the Lake Tuakitoto catchment group about what the issues and solutions were in their area. Photo: Ella Stokes

Farmers from the Clutha area are coming together in a new group to improve not just water quality but overall environmental impact.

The Clutha Water Quality Project was formed in 2016 to meet the Otago Regional Council's regional plan change 6A (water quality).

It prompted and provided on-farm discharge testing, created more knowledge and education around water quality and gained 160 farm members.

However, the project is now to target overall sustainability in different areas and farmers will lead it.

More than 70 farmers and stakeholders gathered at the Balclutha Cross Recreation Centre last Thursday to establish different catchment groups throughout the Clutha area and define what needed to be done in the different areas.

Leading the group is Lloyd McCall who has already had success as the chairman for the Pomahaka Water Care Group.

Mr McCall said it was important the project was farmer-led.

''At the end of the day the project is all about the farmers.''

The six different catchment groups which included Waiwera, Owaka, Lake Tuakitoto, the Inch Clutha delta, and Tokomairiro/Waihola will target area-specific water quality issues and ways to improve them.

''Every catchment is different and has its own problem ... they're each important and unique.''

The project has gained funding from the Otago Regional Council, the Ministry for Primary Industries' sustainable farming fund and Shand Thomson Ltd for a two-year scoping project. ''We want to do stuff that's practical ... there's no rules, we just want to try to improve the region's water quality the best we can.''

Southern Rural Life