1 / 15

The Opuha Dam

The Opuha Dam. What Next ?. Opuha Dam Project. Where did Opuha Dam originate from ? Opuha site selected ECNZ withdrew in favour of Alpine Energy Agreement to construct entered into in 1995 Construction started late 1995 Dam breach occurred February 1997 Dam commissioned November 1998

jerold
Download Presentation

The Opuha Dam

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Opuha Dam What Next ?

  2. Opuha Dam Project • Where did Opuha Dam originate from ? • Opuha site selected • ECNZ withdrew in favour of Alpine Energy • Agreement to construct entered into in 1995 • Construction started late 1995 • Dam breach occurred February 1997 • Dam commissioned November 1998 • April 2007 Opuha Water Partnership. Alpine Energy bought out creating 100% irrigator ownership.

  3. The Opuha Dam: “Strong relationships between Local Iwi, Fish & Game, D.O.C., District Councils, ECAN and Irrigators”

  4. Opuha Dam • Priority of Water Releases 370 – 391.2m • 1st Environmental Flow • 2nd Domestic Use and Stock water • 3rd Irrigation • 4th Electricity Generation • Above 391.2m Generation Discretion • Generator • Capacity 7 mega watts driven by 15 cumec • Maximum Generation Month 360k • Minimum Generation 0 • In an average year the generator will operate for 55% of the time • Dam is operated by Contact Energy at Clyde – manned 24/7

  5. Opuha Dam • 50m High 330 metres long • Maximum operating level 392.2m above sea level • Command area, 16000ha with 92% reliability • Storage is 91 million cubic metres • Lake at 392.2m is 710 Hectares • Minimum Operating Level 370m • It is expected that one year in 20 the lake will lower to 370m • 50% of Water in storage is for Environment and 50% is for Irrigation.

  6. Managing OpuhaDaily Management Inspection Observation • Dam Safety – 24 hours • Flow Releases – 24 hours • Environmental Monitoring – 24 hours • Irrigation Output – Water orders daily • Lake Levels – Low and High as required • The Future ?

  7. Irrigation in South Canterbury

  8. Annual Compliance / Management • Administration $120k • Monitoring Charges $ 56k • Telemetry Charges $ 42k • Site Inspection $ 45k • Safety Management $100k • River Management $160k $523K

  9. Audited Self Management • Opportunity to Integrate Management with Individual Compliance • What are the Hurdles? • Trust – Community, individuals, NGO’s, Ecan • Knowledge – Not all have the ability to stand alone and manage. • OWP has an infrastructure to manage so can do more. • OWP is interested in taking cost out and improving performance • Ecan are interested in allowing autonomy? • What are the instruments required to give OWP authority to manage?

  10. What Does Integrated Consent Management look like? • There will need to be new arrangements supported in a new way • Communities need to be happy and involved • Communities need to trust and influence • Regional Authority needs to trust • Institutional arrangements • Based around consent conditions that point to a civil contract eg. OWP affiliation • How do you involve the community in the contract? • What rules do you have? • What behavioural tools do you get to use?

  11. Community Benefits from Audited Self Management • A better understanding of the resources. • More accountability within users. • More flexibility to manage local resources to achieve community & national outcomes. • Cost-effective management that encourages strong cohesive, sustainable communities.

  12. Next StepsThe System Opuha Audit of Hydrology: • Look at all contributing in flows • Re Survey the lake for volume • Increase accuracy of measurement in river • Better control dam releases – river telemetry • Investigate flushing techniques -Didymo

  13. Next StepsOur Community • Formalise the process – loose group at present. • Jointly employ facilitator with ECAN. • Expand discussion around institutional arrangements • Put arrangements in place. • Timeframe? 2 -3 years.

  14. The Opuha Dam Self Management “The End of the Beginning” Winston Churchill

More Related