5. Allocation of Public Resources Volume One [R] Policy 5.2.16 – For resource consent takes from the Waihopai River, Awatere River and other rivers that utilise an upstream flow monitoring site, allocations for the taking of water will be reduced proportionally as flows fall in order to avoid any breach of an environmental flow. When monitoring of river flow occurs downstream of abstraction of water from the river, the effect of abstraction on river flow can be measured. In the Waihopai FMU and Awatere FMU, the monitoring of river flow occurs predominantly upstream of abstraction due to the absence of suitable flow monitoring sites further downstream. The management flow that applies in each FMU is the flow measured at the monitoring site, corresponding to an equivalent minimum flow that gives effect to Policy 5.2.4 downstream of abstraction. (Monitoring of flow in the Waihopai and Awatere Rivers over many years has allowed the establishment of a robust relationship between flows at the flow monitoring sites and gauged flows at other locations.) Taking into account the allocation limits, abstraction downstream of the flow monitoring site can result in the non-attainment of the minimum flow that is sought to be achieved downstream. For this reason, the policy requires a proportional reduction in the allocations made by resource consent and consequent rationing of abstraction. [R] Policy 5.2.17 – Implement water restrictions for water users serviced by municipal water supplies when the management flows/levels for the resource from which the water is taken are reached. At times of water restriction it is important that all of the community respond to the vulnerability of water resources. The potential impacts on the natural and human use values of waterbodies can be heightened at times of low flow and/or water levels. While restrictions are imposed through conditions of consents on non-urban water users, it is also appropriate that urban water users accessing municipal water supplies take measures to reduce water usage during times of low flows and/or levels. This policy will be implemented by the Council’s Assets and Services Department as managers of the District’s municipal water supplies. Diversion of water [R] Policy 5.2.18 – Require resource consent for the diversion of water to enable the potential adverse effects of the diversion to be considered. The diversion of water from its natural course has the potential to adversely affect the natural and human use values supported by the waterbody and existing water users downstream of the diversion. At its worst, there may not be sufficient water downstream to sustain the values and uses. The nature, severity and significance of the potential adverse effects will be circumstantial and will depend on the nature of the waterbody and the type of diversion, as well as the natural and human use values and other uses currently supported downstream of the proposed diversion. To ensure that the potential adverse effects can be accurately identified and assessed, diversions of water will generally require resource consent. The specific circumstances of the proposed diversion can then be considered in the determination of any application for water permit. [R] Policy 5.2.19 – Have regard to the following matters in determining any resource consent application to divert water: (a) the purpose of the diversion and any positive effects; (b) the volume or proportion of flow remaining in-channel and the duration of the diversion; (c) the effect of the diversion on environmental flows set for the waterbody; (d) the scale and method of diversion; 5 – 8