Tasman District Council hydrologist Matt McLarin said only 80mm of rain has been recorded at Wai-iti in the past 50 days.
“We’ve had rain coming in from the west but it hasn’t reached the Waimeas.”
Tasman’s eastern Wai-iti, Waimea and Wairoa river levels have dropped as a consequence and stage one water restrictions, with a 20 per cent cut in allocated takes, will come into force for permitted plains irrigators from Monday.
An alternate-day hose ban will also imposed from Monday in Richmond, Mapua, Ruby Bay, Hope and Wakefield.
McLarin said the eastern rivers were not unusually low but the dry weather had come early.
“We normally see these flows in February. However, we have seen this situation previously and it could change.”
Waimea horticulturist Julian Raine said at the moment, even with a 20 per cent water cut, growers were probably OK.
“The issue will be if it carries on and we have further [water] cuts.
“But the sooner we get rain the better. We have had a record low level for November so far and only had 25 per cent of our usual October rain.”
Growers could manage the situation while temperatures remained low, he said.
Appleby dairy farmer Ted Ford said they could live with the 20 per cent water take reduction but the next stage would have a bigger impact. “With these winds we are really struggling to keep enough water on the dry land.”
In Golden Bay, Federated Farmers president Sue Brown said that in Ferntown, where she is farming, they are experiencing “erratic, harsh” weather, with some rainfall. However, she said the rainfall drastically differed from one part of Golden Bay to the next.
“It’s not just the amount, but how it falls. Pastures here are looking drained and it’s tricky to get fertiliser on,” she said.
While showers were expected today, MetService meteorologist Elke Louw said it could be less than 2mm and there would not be anything significant to lift the restrictions. Hail was expected mid-afternoon but was likely to be small and fall close to the ranges.
Next week some showers and rain are forecast but she said that could change.
This weekend strong southwest winds are forecast and the fire danger risk would be high, said Waimea Rural Fire Authority principal rural fire officer Ian Reade.
“We’ve only had around half the normal rainfall in the past three months especially in the coastal area. That’s not the case so much inland but in the coastal belt from Wakefield and Belgrove north through to Nelson we have not had that much rain.
“What is really drying the place out is southwest winds.”
If there was not significant rain in the next two weeks the authority would look to restrict fire permits, said Reade.
People needed to start preparing for a dry summer. “If you live in a rural environment, even if you are not near a forest or scrub, think if a fire started in this area and it rained down embers, what would you do to stop your property being on fire?” he said.
Takaka deputy fire chief Kevin Hebberd, who delivers tanks of water during drier periods, said they’d been “chipping through a few water deliveries” but he hadn’t noticed a significant increase in demand.
The Nelson City Council is also warning of possible water restrictions for about 500 Nelson residents who take their water directly from streams and wells.
The council expects if there isn’t significant rain, restrictions will be necessary within the next two weeks. That would mean those taking water from wells and streams that breach “trigger” flows (low water levels) will be asked to take water only for domestic use, drinking water for animals or firefighting. Affected residents would be asked to stop taking water for crop and garden irrigation if trigger flows were reached.
If streams go on to reach “minimum flows” (lower water levels) water may only be taken for firefighting purposes.
The council noted that the restrictions do not apply to those on the reticulated supply, and water levels in the Maitai Dam, Maitai and Roding rivers are now adequate.
– The Nelson Mail