Water Augmentation Projects
This page explains the Tasman District Council's promotion of water augmentation, as a method of enhancing, protecting and future proofing water supplies. Adequate water supply is important for community and consumption, as well as for recreational needs and ecological preservation and enhancements.
The water shortages in parts of Tasman District pose economic, social and environmentental risk to the community. The Tasman region's natural water sources vary from the east to the west of the region. Eastern parts of the region, such as the Waimea Plains and Moutere, receive about 800 mm of rain compared with 3500 mm in Collingwood.
Eastern parts of the region also experience droughts of varying degrees. These droughts affect water availability for consumption as well as environmental flows for recreational and ecological needs in the rivers and springs.
Droughts also pose a threat to coastal aquifers as dry weather, combined with water abstractions from both rivers and groundwater, reduce replenishment of the underground aquifers and pose a threat of seawater incursion.
In some catchments water is limited due to the natural supplies being limited and in some areas there has been historical over allocation of the resource. Water restrictions are imposed during drought periods and can get quite significant during serious drought. With population growth and the need for further water supplies for growth and industrial needs new water supplies also need to be investigated and commissioned.
Lee Valley Dam
The Waimea Water Augmentation Committee (WWAC) is a partnership between local industry and local Councils focused on developing a dam within the Lee Valley.
Wai-iti Valley Community Dam