Water Bodies of National Importance
The Sustainable Development Water Programme of Action is a cross-government initiative led by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Programme is comprised of three key workstreams, which respectively aim to ensure:
- Freshwater is allocated and used in a sustainable, efficient and equitable way;
- Freshwater quality is maintained to meet all appropriate needs;
- Water bodies with nationally significant values are protected.
Under the Water Bodies of National Importance workstream a number of sub-projects aim to identify New Zealand water bodies that are potentially nationally important in respect to:
- Industry and domestic uses;
- Cultural and historic heritage;
- Natural heritage (biodiversity and geodiversity);
- Energy;
- Irrigation;
- Recreation; and
- Tourism.
It was identified as inappropriate for individual water bodies to be identified for Māori values as this approach is inconsistent with the view that all water bodies are important to Māori for spiritual, physical and customary reasons.
The Ministry of Economic Development led the sub-projects to identify the water bodies that are potentially nationally important in respect to energy, and industry and domestic uses.
East Harbour Study of Potential Hydro-Electric Resources
As a contribution to the energy sub-project, the Ministry commissioned East Harbour Management Services to complete a report that identified New Zealand's potential hydro-electricity developments with a high to medium confidence level of proceeding over the next 20 years. This report is available below. The East Harbour report provides a disaggregation of data and further analysis to a previous East Harbour report entitled Availabilities and Costs of Renewable Sources of Energy for Generating Electricity and Heat. The most recent East Harbour report has drawn on existing information only. In some cases this information is dated which will affect the confidence that can be placed on it. Much of this existing information is already publicly available. No new surveys of potential hydro-electricity developments were undertaken.
It should be noted that the East Harbour report identifies potential hydro-electricity developments – the potential developments listed have not necessarily been proposed or planned. Development would still be subject to gaining access rights, standard Resource Management Act and Conservation Act processes, and any other relevant legislative requirements.
Judgement of whether a potential hydro-electricity development has a high to medium probability of proceeding has been undertaken by the consultant, based on a number of criteria further described in the report. The consultants note in the report that this judgement is very subjective. In general:
- Potential developments in National Parks have been excluded from consideration.
- Potential developments covered by Water Conservation Orders have not been excluded from consideration as Water Conservation Orders are able to be modified under the Resource Management Act, for example if the outstanding values for which they were protected are no longer present. However, these potential developments have generally been listed as "Prohibited" and the presence of Water Conservation Orders has been noted.
- Most potential developments in the Conservation Estate have been excluded because of the high potential adverse effects. However some have been included where, in the consultants view, there is a possibility that the potential development might proceed. Some developments listed are not possible under the Conservation Act, given the specially protected status of the areas in question. The report does not always note which potential developments are located in the Conservation Estate.
The report does not form part of government or Ministry policy. It is intended that the East Harbour report be considered in the context of the broader Water Bodies of National Importance work which explores a range of values connected with New Zealand water bodies.
The Ministry of Economic Development would appreciate receiving information on potential hydro-electricity developments in New Zealand, further to what is included in the East Harbour report.
MED Report on Existing and Potential Geothermal Resource
This report provides information on New Zealand's existing and potential geothermal resource for electricity generation. This information is intended to supplement the Ministry's project to identify potential waterbodies of national importance in relation to existing and potential hydro generation.
Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Report on the Economic Value of Water Bodies for Domestic and Industrial Use
As a contribution to the industry and domestic use sub-project, the Ministry commissioned the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences to complete a report that estimated the economic value of New Zealand's surfacewater catchments and groundwater aquifers for domestic supply and industrial uses.
It should be noted that a lack of robust information on the value of water for domestic and industrial uses means that there is uncertainty in the final value rankings in this report. In addition, different methodologies were used to value domestic and industrial water so comparisons between the two sets of results should not be made.
The report does not form part of government or Ministry policy. It is intended that the report be considered in the context of the broader Water Bodies of National Importance work which explores a range of values connected with New Zealand water bodies.
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