Southland enters status 2 water shortage amid dry conditions

Environment Southland last week moved to Status 2 of its water shortage response levels, which involves active monitoring of water levels across the region.

As the warm weather and lack of rainfall continues, there is a potential for water levels to recede to the point it may impact environmental health, water supplies or animal health.

Environment Southland general manager science Karen Wilson said the shift to Status 2 meant staff would be expanding their existing monitoring programme to examine the ongoing water situation for the region.

The council’s water shortage advisory team will be increasing assessments of water levels, soil moisture and groundwater states, and analysis of short and long-range weather forecasts.

The team will be publicising monitoring results, working alongside and informing territorial authorities, and key user groups, to consider how they can conserve water.

“We are slowly getting drier and current monitored levels of some rivers are starting to get low. Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) is predicting a drier phase with less rainfall in late January and early February.

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“There is no immediate concern for our main water supplies or rivers predicted in the next couple of weeks. However, ESNZ’s long-term forecasts indicate that rivers will continue to drop over the next month.”

Currently, the worst affected rivers are around the Hokonui Hills, particularly the Ōtapiri Stream and Makarewa River.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to keep the public informed as the situation progresses,” says Wilson.