To take and use water for pasture irrigation you need to apply for resource consent.
Applying to take water for pasture irrigation?
An application to take and use fresh water for pasture irrigation is assessed against the rules of the Regional Fresh Water Plan for Taranaki.
Which rules are applied will depend on the catchment you intend to use and whether you intend to source your take from surface water (a river, stream, spring or lake) or from a groundwater source.
Assessment of environmental effects
You will also need to comment on any possible detrimental effects on the environment and outline any proposed action to reduce such effects. You should consider the effects of your proposed take on:
- The availability of water to downstream users
- The natural character of a river, lake or stream and the visual aesthetics
- The cultural, spiritual historical, recreational, scientific and amenity values of the source
- The ecology, e.g river and lake habitat, vegetation, fish and fisheries, wildlife
- River flows including flow in nearby streams, springs and/or adjacent bores.
In the case of an application to take and use surface water, you will also need to include details of any proposed minimum flow that if reached, means the take will cease.