Rangitata River restoration

Big bucks for Rangitata River restoration

A $16 million project has been announced to protect and enhance unique habitats in a Canterbury River.

The Rangitata River is in the east-central South Island. It is formed by the confluence of the Clyde and Havelock rivers, which rise in the Southern Alps. The river is part of two initiatives; an $8.7 million project focusing on the Lower Rangitata, led by Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, and a $7.3 million project focusing on the Upper Rangitata, spearheaded by the Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group.

Part of the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) Ngā Awa, river restoration programme, the Rangitata is one of fourteen rivers of significance.

Minister of Conservation Kiritapu Allan said work on the Rangitata River would restore the health of awa.

“The Upper Rangitata project will see farmers and landowners partnering with DOC and other agencies to fence off stock, restore wetlands, trap pests, and propagate and plant eco-sourced and culturally significant natives in a joint move to improve water quality and enhance biodiversity values along the riverbank.”

“It recognises the intrinsic values of this special area, which runs through some of the South Island’s best-known high-country stations including Mt Peel, Erewhon and Mesopotamia.”

“The project on the Lower Rangitata, the section of the river from the Gorge to sea comprising a 65km river run, focuses on the braided fairway, berms next to the main river channels, wetlands, and intensively farmed riparian margins within the lower catchment.”

IrrigationNZ Chief Executive Vanessa Winning said the Rangitata river was an important artery in the landscape of Canterbury – a lifeblood for our fish, lands, and community. It provided recreational, ecological, and economic outcomes for the whole community.

She said, the restoration and support were important to farmers and growers, and will help climate change resilience, and improve the quality of the water we use to irrigate our crops and pastures.

“We are lucky to have plentiful natural resources in New Zealand that provide for us. It is important we don’t take them for granted, and we continue to look after them with ongoing investment. Seeing projects such as the Rangitata restoration, and many more across the country ensures generational improvements and makes you proud of how far we have come in our understanding of the importance of the life-giving properties of the land, water and sea.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project is part of a cross-agency approach to the restoration and protection of the river. Department of Conservation, Land Information New Zealand, Environment Canterbury, Timaru District Council, Ashburton District Council and Te R unanga O Arowhenua having formed a steering group and are working together to support the restoration of the awa. The Lower Rangitata project will be managed by Te R unanga o Arowhenua, while the Upper Rangitata project will be managed by the Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group.