New Zealand Conservation Authority & boards

Protecting New Zealand's Rivers - 05 The use and effectiveness of WCOs

05 The use and effectiveness of WCOs

Section summary

  • This section discusses how WCOs have been used and evaluates their effectiveness as a tool for protecting and managing rivers. It considers the robustness and length of the WCO process, and the relationship between WCOs and regional plans. It highlights potential areas for improvement.
  • WCOs have been particularly valuable in augmenting regional water planning by setting flow and allocation regimes for particular rivers in the absence of regional or catchment plans.
  • WCOs are the only RMA mechanism used to effectively protect outstanding rivers. As at November 2011, there were 15 WCOs-13 for named rivers or reaches (including some of their tributaries and associated lakes) and two for lakes.
  • WCOs are achieved through a robust process that requires a significant investment of time and expertise by applicants, user groups, and submitters, careful consideration of technical and other evidence by Special Tribunals, and the testing of evidence by the Environment Court. Accordingly, they deserve greater permanence.
  • The effectiveness of WCOs could be improved by requiring local authorities to have particular regard to the protection of outstanding values recognised by a WCO in managing land use in catchments where a river is subject to a WCO.
  • River management (particularly through regional plans and greater use of WCOs) could be enhanced if a national inventory of outstanding rivers (and outstanding reaches of rivers) was compiled. This would help identify rivers with the highest values nationally as candidates for protection of their natural state through strong plan rules or new WCO applications.

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