Regional Policy Statement for Taranaki |
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| This page: | Part B Section 6.4 — Wetlands | Part B Section 6.5 — Drainage |
6.4 Protecting the natural character of wetlands
Background to the issue
Wetlands are defined as "...permanently or intermittently wet areas, shallow water, and land water margins that support a natural ecosystem of plants and animals that are adapted to wet conditions" (Resource Management Act 1991).
Prior to European settlement much of the Taranaki landscape was covered in wetlands, but since that time 98.5% of these areas have been drained or filled for agricultural production and urban development, leaving the region with a relative scarcity of wetland habitats, well below the national average. Because of their scarcity, the remaining wetlands have a heightened value.
Outside the Egmont National Park, most of Taranaki's remaining wetlands are small and surrounded by farmland. With the increasing intensification of land use in Taranaki, wetlands are continuing to be lost to land drainage and development or are being adversely affected by land management practices. Many wetlands are unfenced and grazed by livestock.
Grazing, especially in conjunction with pugging by cattle, can reduce the size of wetlands over time and adversely affect their natural character, ecological, physical, cultural, intrinsic, amenity and biodiversity values. Agricultural pollution and sedimentation from farm runoff also has an adverse effect on wetland values.
Taranaki's wetland remnants are critically important to the conservation of a wide variety of native and valued introduced species. As wetlands continue to be lost and degraded or otherwise affected due to agricultural and urban activities, those flora and fauna species that depend on them for their survival will also decline and, some species may eventually disappear from areas due to a lack of habitat. On the other hand, wetland habitats may change and migrate under changing environmental conditions (eg water depth), especially in dune and estuarine environments.
Wetlands are also valued for reasons other than their rarity. They perform important hydrological functions by storing water and regulating water flows during heavy rains, and off setting low flows during dry periods. They also provide ecological linkages with terrestrial and other aquatic ecosystems.
Some wetlands have been artificially created, for example for community water supply, hydroelectric power generation or for stock watering purpose. Such wetlands may have important natural and ecological values. However the protection of the natural character of these wetlands should enable the continuing use of the wetland for the primary purpose for which the wetland was created.
The significant issues in relation to protecting the natural character of wetlands are:
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Managing adverse effects of surrounding land use on the natural character of wetlands.
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Avoiding cumulative modification, degradation and loss of wetland habitats and the indigenous and other valued species which depend on them through land drainage and other activities. |
Objective
WET OBJECTIVE 1
To protect the natural character of Taranaki's wetlands from inappropriate subdivision, use and development and ensure that any adverse effects of activities on wetlands are avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Policies
Protection of wetlands
WET POLICY 1 The protection of wetlands in the Taranaki region from inappropriate subdivision, use and development will be promoted.
Promotion of wetlands
WET POLICY 2 The enhancement and creation of wetland areas will be encouraged, where appropriate.
Explanation of the policy
Policy 1 is adopted to give effect to the requirement of section 6(a) of the Resource Management Act to recognise and provide for the preservation of the natural character of wetland and their margins from the adverse effects of inappropriate subdivision, use and development. What constitutes 'inappropriate' versus 'appropriate' subdivision, use and development needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis and depends upon the values and characteristics of a wetland, including associated flora and fauna species, the nature of the activity, and any adverse effects that must be avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Where wetlands have been artificially created for example to form lakes for community water supply, hydroelectric power generation or for stock watering, the primary purpose for which the wetland was created will be recognised in determining appropriate use and development.
Policy 2 recognises the relative scarcity of wetlands and seeks to encourage the enhancement or creation of such areas as appropriate.
Related policies
All policies relating to Section 6.1 [Surface water allocation]; Policies 3 and 4 in Section 6.2 [Water quality]; all policies in Section 6.5 [Land drainage and associated diversions]; Policy 1 in Section 8.2 [Natural character of the coastal environment]; all policies in Section 9.1 [Indigenous biodiversity], Section 10.1 [Outstanding natural features and landscapes]; Section 10.3 [Amenity values]; Section 13 [Minerals]; Section 15.2 [Regionally significant infrastructure], Section 16 [Issues of significance to iwi].
Methods of implementation
The Taranaki Regional Council will:
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Maintain a regional plan or plans with objectives, policies, rules and methods of implementation to promote the protection of wetlands from inappropriate subdivision, use and development.
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Apply regional rules to regulate, and in some instances prohibit, resource use and development activities that have actual or potential or adverse environmental effects on the natural character of wetlands.
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Identify wetlands including regionally significant wetlands in an inventory and monitor trends in their size and condition.
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Monitor and gather information on the state of wetlands, pressures on wetlands and responses to management.
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When implementing the Taranaki Regional Council's Riparian Management Programme and Sustainable Land Management Programme, promote the protection, re-establishment or restoration of wetlands, including the fencing and planting of riparian margins adjoining wetlands.
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Advocate, as appropriate to territorial authorities, the Department of Conservation and other appropriate organizations, such as the Queen Elizabeth II Trust and the Taranaki Tree Trust, that they protect wetlands.
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Consider the use of financial incentives, such as grants, subsidies, rate relief, and the provision of plant material at low cost to landowners, to promote the protection of wetlands.
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Provide advice and information, including guidelines, to landowners and the general public about wetland values and the need to protect wetlands. |
Territorial authorities may wish to consider the following methods:
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Include in district plans and on resource consents, provisions or conditions to protect the natural character of wetlands from inappropriate subdivision, use and development, including on adjoining land that may affect the wetland.
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Grant rate relief on land mandatorily or voluntarily protected for the purpose of protecting wetlands. |
Principal reasons for adopting the objective, policies and methods
The objective, policies and methods of implementation establish a policy framework for protecting the natural character of wetlands and their margins. In particular, they address matters of national importance under the Resource Management Act - namely, the preservation of the natural character of wetlands and their margins and the protection of wetlands from inappropriate subdivision, use and development (section 6(a) of the Act).
The objective, policies and methods establish a policy framework for protecting the natural character of wetlands in the Taranaki region. Through the implementation of the policies and methods, the Taranaki Regional Council can manage adverse effects on wetlands. The policies and methods build on current approaches applied to the protection and enhancement of wetlands. These have proven to be successful to date in terms of achieving desired environmental outcomes and are considered appropriate having regard to their efficiency and effectiveness and their benefits and costs.
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Environmental results anticipated WET ER 1 The areal extent of all wetlands in Taranaki is maintained. WET ER 2 The number and areal extent of wetlands with regionally significant natural character and in-stream values, and which are formally protected or covenanted, is increased |
6.5 Managing land drainage and associated diversion of water
Background to the issue
Land drainage involves the diversion of water from land and is carried out to reduce soil water content to improve plant (pasture) growth or improve land management and development. Land drainage has the positive effect of increasing the productivity of land by improving the land's carrying capacity, providing for better land management and reducing the incidence of localised flooding. This improvement benefits individual landowners as well as the regional and national economy.
Although land drainage activities and associated diversions provide many land management benefits, such activities may also result in adverse effects on the environment, or on other users of fresh water, and these effects must be avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Run-off of water from land increases due to land drainage and other developments (the re-contouring of land, road works, urban development), producing higher peak flows, more rapid flow recessions due to a lack of delayed surface runoff, and lower stream flows during dry periods. This can adversely affect the natural character, ecological and amenity values of water bodies, with increased rates of bank erosion and sedimentation, and the degradation and loss of aquatic habitat. These impacts can then adversely affect indigenous biodiversity values, fishery values, and the habitat of trout. The degradation or accretion of riverbeds and adverse and unintended impacts on neighbouring properties and assets, stormwater systems, and other infrastructure, as a result of increased flood flows, is also an issue in some catchments.
Conversely, extensive drainage systems have been developed within Taranaki. Where these systems are not properly maintained, there is further potential for flooding, erosion of adjoining properties and the discharge of sediment and other contaminants.
New drainage activities, including the piping of small streams and also the maintenance of some existing drains can adversely affect Taranaki's remaining remnant wetlands by reducing the quantity and quality of habitats available for wetland species, adversely affecting the natural character of wetlands, and make wetlands more vulnerable to the impacts of land management practices and livestock grazing.
The Taranaki Regional Council has responsibilities under the Resource Management Act for managing the effects and use of watercourses and water bodies, and of drainage and stormwater run-off. It also has responsibilities under the Land Drainage Act 1908 and the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941. Territorial authorities have responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2002 to manage stormwater infrastructure, the Building Act 2004 in terms of ensuring buildings and siteworks are not constructed in such a way that surface water adversely impacts, damages or becomes a nuisance to people or other properties including the outfalls of drainage systems, and the Resource Management Act in terms of controlling the effects of the use, development or protection of land.
The significant issues in relation to managing land drainage and associated diversions of water are:
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Maintaining existing drainage systems to address the land production and management benefits of appropriate land drainage and associated diversions of water from land.
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Managing the effects of land drainage and associated diversions of water on adjoining properties or network utilities. |
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Managing the effects of land drainage and associated diversions of water on river, streams, lakes and wetland hydrology, water quality, natural character, aquatic life and instream habitat.
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Objective
LDD OBJECTIVE 1
To recognise and provide for the land production and management benefits of appropriate land drainage and associated diversions of water from land in the Taranaki region while avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects on the environment.
Policy
Sustainable land drainage practices
LDD POLICY 1 The land production and land management benefits of land drainage and associated diversions of water will be recognised and provided for while avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of these activities on: (a) the natural character of rivers, lakes and wetlands and their margins; (b) the water quality, hydrology and ecological and amenity values of any waterbodies including indigenous biodiversity values, fishery values and the habitat of trout; (c) the relationship of tangata whenua with the water body, particularly with taonga; (d) the frequency and magnitude of natural hazards such as flooding and erosion; and (e) other water users; (f) the areal extent of wetland habitats; and (g) the protection of historic heritage.
Explanation of the policy
Policy 1 recognises the land production and management benefits that accrue from land drainage and provides for 'appropriate' land drainage. What is appropriate land drainage will require consideration of any adverse effects that must be avoided, remedied or mitigated. The matters listed will guide decisions as to the appropriateness of land drainage activities.
Related policies
All policies relating to Section 6.1 [Surface water allocation]; Policies 3 and 4 in Section 6.2 [Water quality]; all policies relating to Section 6.4 [Wetlands]; Policy 1 in Section 8.2 [Natural character of the coastal environment]; all policies relating to Section 9.1 [Indigenous biodiversity], Section 10.1 [Outstanding natural features and landscapes]; Section 10.3 [Amenity values]; Section 13 [Minerals]; Section 15.2 [Regionally significant infrastructure], and Section 16 [Issues of significance to iwi].
Methods of implementation
The Taranaki Regional Council will:
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Maintain a regional plan or plans with objectives, policies and methods of implementation addressing the effects of land drainage and associated diversions of water from land.
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Apply regional rules to allow, control or prohibit land drainage and associated diversions of water from land that have potential or actual adverse environmental effects.
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Provide advice, information and assistance on: (a) good land drainage practices including drain construction and maintenance; (b) the protection of wetlands; and (c) the avoidance of natural hazards and adverse effects on adjoining properties and network utilities.
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Undertake river and flood control works when necessary under the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 and the Land Drainage Act 1908.
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Territorial authorities may wish to consider the following methods:
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Include in district plans and conditions on resource consents provisions to avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of stormwater runoff arising from subdivision, land development and land use, including standards relating to site drainage and off-site infrastructure e.g. stormwater drainage systems, sewer type and capacity.
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Provide information and advice on good engineering and design practices for subdivision and land development.
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Principal reasons for adopting the objective, policies and methods
The objective, policies and methods of implementation establish a policy framework for managing land drainage and associated diversions of water from land in the region.
Through the implementation of regional plans and, in particular the use of regional rules, the Taranaki Regional Council can provide for appropriate land drainage and associated water diversion activities while managing any adverse effects. The policies and methods build on current approaches to this issue. They have proven to be successful to date in achieving desired environmental outcomes, and are considered appropriate having regard to their efficiency and effectiveness and their benefits and costs. Further monitoring is to be carried out which will provide additional information on this matter.
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Environmental results anticipated LDD ER 1 Provision for appropriate land drainage activities and associated diversions of water. LDD ER 2 Minimisation of adverse effects on people, property and the environment, including wetlands. |