Operative Waikato Regional Policy Statement (October 2000)

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3  Significant Resource Management Issues, Objectives, Policies and Methods

3.3  Land and Soil

3.3.10 Moisture Management

Principal Reasons for Adopting: Poor soil moisture management restricts the biological activity in the soil, may make it more prone to pugging and limits grass growth. This in turn limits the versatility of the soil and affects its productive capacity. Over drainage of peat soils can result in shrinkage and loss of soil structure. Insufficient drainage is caused by inadequate or poorly maintained and/or damaged drainage systems.

Land drainage plays an important role in maintaining the productivity of the Region’s soils and peatlands.

The Waikato Regional Council (Environment Waikato) has responsibility for former autonomous land drainage boards which are now drainage areas¹constituted under the Land Drainage Act 1908 and Local Government Act 1974, while district councils are responsible for drainage districts. There are no joint responsibilities between regional and district councils for land drainage functions. Service delivery functions may be contracted out, but responsibility for any particular area remains with the council concerned. It is important that Environment Waikato’s activities under the Land Drainage Act (or any future legislation) are consistent with its resource management functions.

Moisture will be managed to maximise the sustainable productive capacity of soils.

1. Prepare where necessary, as part of regional plans, regional rules for moisture management.
   
2. Monitor and review the effects of land drainage on the Region's soil and water resources and ensure that these activities are consistent with the objectives and policies outlined in this document and any subsequent regional plans.
   
3. Through asset management plans and annual plans, provide works and services to deliver drainage services within former drainage board areas.
   
4. Through an environmental education programme, advocate land drainage and land management practices that avoid degradation of productive soil and peatland.
   
5. Where appropriate provide for the formation of drainage/irrigation programmes to safeguard the productive capacity of soils and developed peatlands.

In order to promote land drainage and land management practices that maximise sustainable productive capacity of soils regulation may be used to impose controls with the aim of preventing adverse effects on the soil resources, and other resources due to land drainage activities. Works and services may be undertaken by regional councils to deliver services within the former drainage board areas under the Land Drainage Act 1908 and to collect information on the impacts of drainage activities on degradation of productive land. Environmental education is aimed at educating agencies responsible for providing drainage services and individual land owners as to sustainable land use and moisture management within drained areas. Monitoring will be undertaken to determine whether there are any adverse effects arising from drainage activities, and also to assess the effectiveness of policies and methods. Community drainage schemes will be advocated on a case by case basis where there is a perceived need and interest from a local community.

1. Reduced rates of shrinkage of peatland.
   
2. Reduced instances of poorly maintained or damaged drainage systems.
   
3. Improved productive capacity of the Region’s soils.

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Footnotes

1. Regional Councils have responsibility for the former autonomous land drainage board area while territorial authorities are responsible for drainage districts.