Managing Groundwater Resources in New Zealand to Account for Environmental Change

Water regulators in New Zealand have recognised the need to adapt water allocation regimes and water permit conditions to reflect the likelihood of lower catchment yield on the east coast from 2030 due to climate change. Water management mechanisms to protect the environment and maintain the reliability of other water users are currently being applied or assessed in Marlborough province. These include seasonal water quota based on spring aquifer status, linking water use to environmental triggers to avoid seawater intrusion or spring depletion; and redefining water permit entitlements to account for recharge variability.