Workshops and Meetings
The MCWSG holds regular workshops and meetings to inform various sectors of the community. These provide an opportunity to hear experts speak on subjects relevant to the various sectors, and to hear the experiences of landowners.
Click the button below to download the Powerpoint Document about a pod meeting held in Paerau / Omakau – September 1 and 2 2014
Nutrient management workshop
On June 23 2014 the MCWSG hosted four speakers to discuss nutrient management. They included:
The Otago Regional Council’s Nicola McGrouther who talked about Plan Change 6A;
Rabobank’s Blake Holgate who discussed the changing farming environment, in regards to addressing water quality issues and the experience of other regions;
Golder Associate’s Ian Lloyd who provided an overview of the work which was being carried by AgResearch for the Feasibility Study, on nutrient outputs and compliance with Plan Change 6A;
Ballance Agri-Nutrients Scott Levings who gave a practical overview of the information/records and data which landowners need to keep to enable Overseer modelling to be carried out.
The workshop was held at the Omakau Rugby Clubrooms and was well attended.
Click HERE to read the Rabobank presentation
Click HERE to read the agribusiness presentation (dated November 2013)
Click HERE to read the Golder presentation
Click HERE to read about what’s required to carry out Overseer modelling
“Opportunities, Options and Risks” workshop
On June 12 2014 the MCWSG and the ANZ Bank held an “Opportunities, Options and Risks” workshop. The speakers included:
Alexandra-based chartered accountant George Collier;
Guy Blundell from Compass Agribusiness;
South Canterbury farmer and agribusiness consultant Nicky Hyslop, who discussed the positive effects the Opuha Dam and irrigation scheme has had in South Canterbury;
ANZ Bank chief economist Cameron Bagrie.
The workshop was held in Omakau and was attended by about 100 landowners and agribusiness representatives.
Click HERE to read the Compass Agribusiness presentation
Click HERE to read South Canterbury farmer and agribusiness consultant Nicky Hyslop’s presentation
Historical Studies
The Manuherikia catchment has been studied extensively during the past 150 years and numerous reports have been written. Click here to read historical reports on:
An insight into why certain infrastructure decisions were made and what other options were considered at the time;
A record of dam material and construction methods;
The challenges of the existing infrastructure and ideas for improvement;
Numerous ideas on new development options; and
Hydrological data dating back more than a century.
These reports contain multi-generation knowledge which is making a very valuable contribution to the current studies.
Background and pre-feasibility
study reports
The MCWSG and its specialist consultants have completed a Pre-Feasibility Study. Feasibility study was completed in early 2015. Given the unexpectedly high costs for the project, during 2015 further work was undertaken to refine the costs and confirm the preferred options for the project. This was known as the validation and refinement project which was completed in early 2016. This section includes:
A summary of all the reports written during the Pre-Feasibility Study;
The background reports (called stages 1, 2 and 3a) which led to the decision to carry out a Pre-Feasibility Study;
The various reports which make up the full Pre-Feasibility Study (called Milestones).
About the Manuherikia Catchment
Water Strategy Group
Most members of the Manuherikia Catchment Water Strategy Group: back row, left to right: Ben Hore, Tommy Arthur, John Paterson, Richard Little, Gerard Flannery, Ralph Hore, Allan Kane, Niall Watson, Ken Gillespie (on the end). Front row, left to right: Dave Menzies, Mike Kelly, Loretta Dobbs, Claire Morris, John Waldron, Gerald Dowling, Anne Stevens, Warwick Hawker, Phil Tisch, Graye Shatkey, Jacob Dexter, Kate Scott.
The wider group comprises Anne Steven and Matt Sole (Forest & Bird); Niall Watson and Clare Morris (Fish & Game); Francie Diver and Maree Kleinlangevelsloo (Kai Tahu ki Otago); Gavin Udy and Jacob Dexter (Department of Conservation); Ben Hore (Blackstone Hill Irrigation Company); John Paterson (Ida Valley Irrigation Company); John Waldron (Falls Dam Company); Murray and Annette Heckler (Falls Dam Company); Mike Kelly (Galloway Irrigation Company); Tommy Arthur (Ida Valley Irrigation Company); James Armstrong (Private Water Rights Holders); Fraser Jonker (Pioneer Generation); Neil J. Gillespie (Contact Energy); Peter Bodeker (Otago Regional Council); Peter Morton (Central Otago District Council); Andrew Paterson; Brian Turner; Dave Menzies; George Collier; Glen Harrex; Hamish Jopp; Hilary Weber; Mary Flannery and Ritchie Stevens.
The Manuherikia Catchment Water Strategy Group has an executive team of 10 people, which liaises with and is advised by a wider group of nearly 30 people, who represent a wide range of organisations. Within the wider group is a special interest group, which is made up of representatives of environmental and recreational organisations.
The MCWSG is led by independent chairperson Allan Kane, a high country merino sheep farmer from the Upper Clutha. The remainder of the executive team comprises deputy chairperson Gary Kelliher from the Manuherikia Irrigation Cooperative Society; Gerald Dowling and Ken Gillespie from the Hawkdun/Idaburn Irrigation Company; Gerard Flannery and Jan Manson from the Omakau Irrigation Company; Ralph Hore from the Falls Dam Company; Graye Shattky from the Central Otago Environmental Society and Warwick Hawker, the Central Otago District Council’s economic development manager. The project manager is Kate Scott, a resource management planner from a farming background, who is the managing director of Cromwell-based environmental planning, surveying and engineering company, Landpro.
