Home - White Water Canoe Club Inc.

Clean up Christchurch Avon

When: Sat 18 Sep, 9.45am-11.30am
Where: Avon Riverbank, Christchurch City Centre, Oxford Terrace, Christchurch
Restrictions: All Ages

Please check out the links closer to the time in case details have changed.

This event was posted before the earthquake and seems to be an annual thing. Extra hands will be required in light of all the damage. If you have the morning free perhaps pop along to help out.

Social: Friday 24th September at The Twisted Hop

From 5.30pm. John's your host - David's in Australia for a few weeks..

Hurunui WCO application proceeds

Whitewater NZ and Fish & Game have reapplied for a water conservation order on the Hurunui River.

The original application was granted in part by the Special Tribunal, and appealed by a number of parties – including Whitewater NZ due to the lack of protection provided for the South Branch. The Environment Court appeal proceedings were halted by the passing of the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010 which passed responsibility for determining water conservation orders in Canterbury to the new Commissioners.

The major changes in the revised application from a kayaking perspective are a strengthened argument for the inclusion of the South Branch in the WCO, and a consideration of the various principles of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy – as required by the legislation.

The only people or organizations who are able to submit on the revised application are those who submitted on the original application and we want every person who submitted in support of the original WCO to resubmit. Every eligible submitter has been sent a letter and a submission form by Ecan. If you believe you should have received a form, please contact susannah.black@ecan.govt.nz or email me for a copy.

Once again, your submission need not be extensive – our evidence will be prepared in detail for the hearing, and you can nominate another party (Whitewater NZ or the Whitewater Canoe Club) to present a joint case on your behalf.

Copies of the revised WCO application are available at

http://ecan.govt.nz/our-responsibilities/hurunui-wco/Pages/revised-application.aspx

Submissions must be made by Friday 24 September 2010.

You may also be aware that the Commissioners have placed a moratorium on the Hurunui. The moratorium applies to further takes but does not apply to the WCO process.

Please contact me if you have any questions or want further information.

Graeme Wilson

Conservation Officer

conservation@whitewater.org.nz

NEVIS RIVER - WCO Amended

Good news

Today (24/8/10) the Special Tribunal's report on the application for an amendment to the Water Conservation 'Kawarau' Order 1997 was released. There decision prevents dams from being built and now needs the Minister for the Environment's sign off.

The 2010 WWCC Beginners courses

Due to overwhelming demand and an excellent response to the 2010 White Water Canoe Club’s beginner kayak courses, we must now close applications for these courses.

For those who have sent in their application forms, a selection process must now be undertaken and we will be in touch soon. To those who left it too late I apologise, and suggest that there are always next years WWCC courses, local kayak shops and the NZ Kayak School (Murchison) as ways of getting into white water kayaking - good luck in your quest.

Thank you for your interest.

First Aid Course

We are seeking an expression of interest from anyone who wants to do a 2-day 1st aid course over the weekend 25-26 September this year, this is the only weekend available for Red Cross. The club will fully subsidise current members of 1 year or more. We need at least 6 people to run a course and would prefer 10 to make it feasible.

Please respond to Safety Officer Ian Mann if you are keen.

safety@whitewater.org.nz

NZ Men Canoe Polo Web site

The NZ Men are about to head over to Europe for 3 comps and then the World Champs. Here is a link to our website so you can keep up to date with how we are going. www.paddleblacks.org.nz

Cheers Tom

Mokihinui River - Labour Weekend Trip

The trip in was a huge success in 2008, and the river still needs your help and attention. Whitewater NZ and the WWCC and our friends in Forest & Bird and Fish & Game have been resisting the hydro dam scheme with some successes. We need to keep the issues and this wild river in the media.

Register your interest now. We need to know numbers - the more on the trip, the cheaper it is, and the bigger statement we make.

Update: This trip is now FULL. Contact Hugh if you are a raft guide or wish to put your name on the standby list.

Central Plains Water decison - May 2010

The independent commissioners have recently released their report. The biggest issues for kayakers are the impacts on flows and the presence of intake structures in the Rakaia and Waimakariri (just above the gorge bridge).

The original proposal provided for a massive storage dam, and a year-round take of up to a maximum of 40 cumecs. It was proposed that CPW take all Waimakariri water once levels once the flow above their intake exceeded 63 cumecs.

There have been huge numbers of submitters against CPW, kayakers and otherwise, and the Court appeal process is only just beginning. In short the kayaking outcome is much improved as the Commissioners propose a maximum 24 cumec take, and CPW will only be able to take half of whatever water is available above an unmodified flow of 66 cumecs. The intake structures pose less of a hazard than originally proposed.

The key points are:

there will be very little take outside the irrigation season as CPW can only take to top-up on farm storage - and no large dam
the take is subject to one-for-one flow sharing from commencement of take at an unmodified flow of 66.1 cumecs as measured at the old highway bridge – that is, CPW can only take one of each additional two cumecs above that flow
a holiday rule to reduce the impact on kayakers during the summer season
NO take during the coast to coast
restrictions to ensure the first fresh after a period of low flows stays in the river
Rakaia water is to be taken in preference to Waimakariri water – when sufficient water is available from the Rakaia no water will be taken from the Waimakariri
There is a series of conditions around the intake structures, including escape paths, and both kayaker and independent expert involvement in design, testing and commissioning.

There is more information on the Whitewater NZ website, including an assessment of the number of days of kayaking affected - refer to

http://rivers.org.nz/article/central-plains-water-decision

Thanks hugely to all those who contributed to the CPW process - particularly Ian Huntsman, Ian Fox, Ken Livingston, Hugh Canard, Tony Ward-Holmes and Maree Baker.