Development of a Regional Water Strategy

The wine sector is the largest industry in Marlborough contributing approximately 20% of Marlborough’s GDP and accounting for one in five jobs. Around 80% of New Zealand’s wine exports are produced in Marlborough. Water is one of Sustainable Wine New Zealand’s six sustainability focus areas, but to make substantial progress in maximising water efficiency industry (including wine) and council need to work together. We would like to request that MDC invest in a Regional Water Assessment to give a comprehensive regional view of:

• How much water we have now
• How much water are we using now
• How much water might we have in the future (and when during the year)
• Impact of climate change and weather systems (e.g. La Nina, El Nino)
• Impacts of land-use change
• What options are there to increase supply

A regional water assessment will allow a Marlborough Water Strategy to be developed that will:

• identify knowledge gaps,
• build on previously completed work, such as the Southern Valley’s scheme
• identify priority areas for riparian and wetland restoration and enhancement
• identify the most appropriate water storage strategies for Marlborough, including ensuring healthy aquifer storage
• guide where to focus investment and research, including the next stages of the gravel rivers project and enhancements to water allocation and use software such as irricalc.
• Enhance Marlborough Research Centre as an important centre for primary sector research and agri-tech development
• Identify to public and privately funded research, science, technology and development programmes what we are open for business for. 
• Support the development of council and public targets and indicators to track progress on a sustainable water future for Marlborough

Marlborough is a productive economy and water is vital to our future, regardless of what path we take.