Light drizzle brings no relief from dry spell
Stock raising dust in dry paddocks. The cows in the hill behind are on unusually dry ground.
MetService is putting this summer’s weather pattern on a par with those of 1988/89 and 1975/76, when severe drought hit many parts of the country.
Though rain is forecast for the district today, the last weeks’ spits and drizzles have done nothing to alleviate the deepening dryness, or halt water restrictions and warnings of extreme fire danger. The region’s farmers are now reporting severe effects. Council staff have been monitoring river levels in rural areas and report that water levels are steadily dropping. Tasman District Council’s Dry Summer Taskforce convenor Dennis Bush-King said that 7-8mm of rain recently fell on the Waimea Plains but it was not enough to recharge the aquifers, and Stage 1 water restrictions in Tasman will stay in place for another week.
“Fortunately we have had up to 40mm in parts of the Richmond Ranges which means river levels will surge a little, just enough to hold off a decision to go to Stage 2 until next week” Mr Bush-King said. In the meantime, Stage 1 rationing remains in place, meaning a cut in use by 20 per cent of consented water take levels, and applies in the Upper Catchment, Reservoir, Waimea West, Delta, Golden Hills, and both the Lower and Upper Confined Aquifer zones on the Waimea Plains.
“Prior to the rain we also had concerns about the Motupiko and Powley Creek in the Moutere and we will be reviewing these catchments next week as to whether they come within rationing. The Riwaka is also getting low but is probably a couple of weeks away from having to come under control.”
Council recommends irrigating only when absolutely necessary, avoiding irrigation during windy conditions and in the daytime to minimise evaporation. Sprinklers or hoses should not be left unattended as a forgotten garden hose can pour out a few thousand litres in just hours. Mulching with seaweed or grass clippings helps to keep soils moist.
As water levels drop and with fire fuels like bracken, fern and gorse becoming extremely dry, a meeting of rural fire managers was called last week to review the situation and precautionary measures. Waimea Rural Fire Authority is on high alert and has increased the forest and rural fire danger to an unseasonably high level.
In the last month alone, 15 vegetation fires have raged across the region and three fires originated from unsupervised rubbish burning, reported principal rural fire officer Neil Eder. Lighting a fire in a rural area without a permit is an offence that can result in hefty charges for fire-fighting cost recovery. A blaze started by an unpermitted rubbish fire at Anatoki three weeks ago was classified as “very serious” by the Waimea Rural Fire Authority, and had the potential to spread further. The fire destroyed four hectares of bush and was attended by 25 firefighters, six fire engines and three helicopters with monsoon buckets. Firefighters were called to a fire at the Cobb last Friday night, and due to the quick response of Upper Takaka and Takaka firefighters and the help of a helicopter, damage was limited to two hectares of regenerating bush.
“It was probably lit deliberately, looking at the site, and the police have been notified,” said Department of Conservation area manager John Mason.
A ban on the use of concrete fireplaces along the Abel Tasman track has been lifted, added Mr Mason, but the department will continue to evaluate the situation hoping the fire danger will ease a bit after significant rain expected this Friday. Golden Bay deputy principal rural fire officer George Duff says that fire permits will only be given for recreational beach fires, and only well below the high water mark, “provided they stick to their permits”.
Whether the forecast rain will help the farming sectors remains to be seen. Aorere farmer Brent Riley, who lives in perhaps the wettest part of the Bay, cannot remember a November this dry—perhaps the driest in 30 years, some are saying.
“It is unusual for it to be so dry that early,” said Mr Riley. “We do expect some dry spells usually in February, but this is three months early and it is quite serious. We have just started to feed out, but some of the farmers around here have nothing to feed out. We all hope for rain. It has been dry since early October following a very wet spring. We had 1.2 metres of rain in August/September and some people could not make any silage.”
The early hay harvest in one area of his property produced only half of the usual amount. Mr Riley said feed this year could be scarce, and this may elevate prices for supplementary feed.
“The situation is widespread around New Zealand and there could be a lot of farmers needing supplementary feed this year and there may be less opportunity to buy. It is early enough for pastures to recover if we have some rain now, but it is less and less likely as the dry spell continues. We need some good rain and then some follow-up rain.” Some farmers may be forced to cull cows early or to dry off some skinny animals so they do not lose condition, Mr Riley added.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research reported that high-pressure systems would keep the weather dry through to Christmas due to a La Niňa weather pattern. Hot and dry conditions were forecast to persist with rain likely to be “too little and too late”, and expected soil moisture levels to be average or below average over most of the country.
For fire permits contact George Duff on 525 9201 or 027 686 9093.
Ina Holst
