Chapter 12 - Rural Environments 12.2.1.5 Priority to floodplain management For historical reasons modification of the inter-related watercourse of the lower Wairau floodplain is irreversible. The maintenance and improvement of the system is now an imperative and for as long as there is development of this area it will always be the case. In order to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of the floodway system floodplain management will need to be accorded priority over other rural activities. This will mean controls on activities within the floodway, on subdivision and restrictions on gravel extraction from the plains in favour of strategic gravel extraction from the key rivers in the floodway system. 12.2.1.6 Drainage A significant portion of the Wairau floodplain has naturally high groundwater levels that impact on agricultural and other productive use of the soil. The land to the east of Blenheim is low lying, being only a few metres above sea level. Much of it would barely drain except at low flows and low tides. Land to 4 km west of Blenheim is less low lying but is affected by groundwater springs. Overall there are some 10,000 hectares of land which benefits from the control of water levels in a network of natural watercourses and Council constructed drains. Agricultural and other production from these soils could not be sustained without control of the water level in these networks of watercourses. 12.2.2 Objectives and Policies Objective 1 To maintain or enhance the life supporting capacity of the versatile soils of the Rural 3 Zone (Wairau Plain). Policy 1.1 To sustainably manage the versatile soils of the lower Wairau Plain and recognise their life supporting and productive capacity. Policy 1.2 To enable intensive rural activities to utilise the range of soil types and micro-climates available within the lower Wairau Plain. Policy 1.3 Limit the scale and range of activities that can be established in rural areas to those that require a rural location, and discourage, as far as practicable, activities which do not rely on the productive capacity of the land of the Rural 3 Zone. Policy 1.4 To encourage the long-term retention of the capabilities of the area’s soils, through research and dissemination of relevant information to the community. Policy 1.5 To promote environmentally sound land management practices. Policy 1.6 To promote appropriate vegetative cover and implementation of land management practices which will improve or maintain soil organic matter and soil nutrient balance by retaining the soil and avoid accelerated soil loss through erosion. The objective and policies are intended to protect the versatility and productive capacity of the soils of the lower Wairau Plain. The policies enable activities to occur while ensuring that any adverse effects on the soils of the Wairau Plain are avoided, remedied or mitigated. The soils of this part of the District are one of the significant resources which need to be managed to ensure the sustainability of the rural environment in this locality. 12 - 5