In the Matterof the Resource Management Act 1991

And

In the Matterof the hearing of an application by Gisborne District Council Resource Consent Application Number RM16-0211-AP in regard to Managed Aquifer Recharge Trial

Hearingbefore Independent Commissioners 17 October 2016

Statement of Evidence Trevor Stuart Lupton

Introduction

  1. My full name is Trevor Stuart Lupton
  1. I hold a Bachelor of Horticultural Science from Massey University. I have worked in Gisborne since 1982 initially as a Horticultural Advisory Officer with Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and from 1986 as a horticultural consultant with Lewis Wright Valuation & Consultancy Ltd and its predecessors.
  1. I am General Manager for Eastern Bay Orchards Ltd (EBOL) and Harpers Gold Ltd (HGL). EBOL and HGL are private companies with water permits to use irrigation water from the Makauri aquifer.
  1. HGL was established in 1999 to develop a 25 hectare Zespri gold kiwifruit orchard in Harper Road. HGL is also currently developing 5 hectares of Envy apples under licence to ENZA on land adjoining O’Grady Road.
  2. EBOL also operates a kiwifruit orchard in Harper Road. This property was developed as a green kiwifruit orchard in 1984. The property is currently being redeveloped to grow 23 hectares of Zespri Gold kiwifruit.
  3. The focus of these orchards is production for early season supply of high taste kiwifruit for which Zespri pays significant premiums. At full production these orchards will produce 750,000 export trays of Gold kiwifruit and 20,000 export cartons of Envy apples.
  4. Orchards are labour intensive operations. When redeveloped these two orchards will employ 34 full time equivalent staff with additional labour requirements off orchard in post-harvest facilities and servicing industries.
  5. Irrigation water is essential in Gisborne for kiwifruit production with optimal yield and fruit size. Trials conducted at the former MAF Manutuke Horticultural Research Station demonstrated that kiwifruit’s water requirement could be determined from evapotranspiration (ET) and rainfall. ET and rainfall figures are published daily in the weather forecast in the Gisborne Herald. The following table summarises evapotranspiration, rainfall and kiwifruit irrigation requirement for Gisborne over the past five irrigation seasons. In Gisborne 50% of kiwifruit water requirement is met by rainfall with the balance required from irrigation. In contrast, summer rainfall in Te Puke averages 4.4mm per day and many Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards do not have irrigation systems installed.

Kiwifruit Water Requirement (Evapotranspiration) / Daily Rainfall / Kiwifruit Irrigation Requirement
(mm/day) / (mm/day) / (mm/day)
2015/16 / 4.6 / 2.6 / 2.0
2014/15 / 4.6 / 1.8 / 2.8
2013/14 / 4.4 / 1.7 / 2.7
2012/13 / 4.1 / 1.9 / 2.2
2011/12 / 4.1 / 2.7 / 1.4
Average / 4.4 / 2.1 / 2.2

Sources: Gisborne Herald and NIWA Cliflo

  1. At HGL and EBOL the quantity of irrigation to be applied is determined weekly from water meter readings, ET and rainfall. HGL and EBOL are also required to demonstrate compliance with international standards of Good Agricultural Practice by Zespri in order to satisfy customer requirements for environmental and economic sustainability, and a socially responsible approach to workers and the communities it supports.
  2. HGL and EBOL are concerned at the reported decline in water levels in the Makauri aquifer over time. The Makauri aquifer has been and remains an important source of irrigation water which has allowed development of a range of higher value, labour intensive crops on the Gisborne Plains. Gisborne District Council’s estimate is that a 60% reduction in current water use is required to halt the decline in the level of the Makauri aquifer with restrictions planned to commence in 2023. Currently no new water permits are being issued for the Makauri aquifer. This and the prospect of reductions in current use are barriers to further economic development in Gisborne and a threat to existing operations.
  3. HGL and EBOL support the proposal to test the feasibility of recharging the Makauri aquifer with high quality water from the Waipaoa River. The concept of using river water outside the irrigation season to recharge and store water for future use in the Makauri aquifer is appealing. This has the potential to increase the supply of irrigation water, expand the area of high value crops grown in Gisborne and provide further economic development and employment in Gisborne.
  4. An alternative for HGL and EBOL would be to source water from the Waipaoa River for irrigation. However the Waipaoa River is also near its allocation limits and further takes would conflict with existing users during dry summer periods.

Conclusion

  1. Eastern Bay Orchards Ltd and Harpers Gold Ltd would like the application for consents approved.

Dated: 4 October 2016

Trevor Lupton