Opuha Dam wins supreme award

TEN years after legal battles following the collapse of the Opuha Dam, the environmental benefits of the project have been recognised.

Yesterday, the dam gained the Supreme Canterbury Resource Management Award, which was presented by Environment Canterbury.

The dam irrigates large areas of South Canterbury, generates electricity and maintains summer and spawning flows in the Opuha and Opihi rivers.

The dam also won the commercial/industrial class. The supreme award was selected from 36 entrants.

The awards are administered by Environment Canterbury, which ironically was the regional council to push for prosecutions after the dam was breached during construction.

The panel of judges said the project contributed to sustainable resource management and helped the community's social and economic well-being.

The judges saw it as an example of how individuals or private groups could successfully undertake large projects.

Dam pioneer and former South Canterbury Farmers' Irrigation Society chairman Tom Henderson said both the farmers in the scheme and environmental groups had learnt a lot over 10 years. In the past there had been concerns about the environmental effects of the dam, but now benefits could be proven.

Central South Island Fish and Game had recognised the improvement in angling brought about the scheme.

Mr Henderson said the award was significant and he was delighted the advantages of the scheme had been recognised by the regional council.

He said without the dam managing flows the Opihi River would have been dry near Temuka the last two summers, because there were no inflows.

With the dam now brim-full farmer-shareholders could face summer with more confidence.

"There's no way from our efforts that there is going to be a shortage of water this year."

In February and March flows were increased for salmon and again increased in October and November for trout spawning.

Mr Henderson said research proved the economic benefits.

"They proved that we consistently improved the economy by a minimum of $120 million. That was two years ago, in today's terms it could be $140 million."

He said the scheme had created close to 600 full-time jobs

The awards were established in 1991 and are held every two years to reward projects that promote sustainable management of natural and built resources.

The awards are supported by the Crown Research institutes, Landcare Research and Niwa (the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), and the Sustainable Business Network, Te Runanga O Ngai Tahu and EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority). Each organisation contributes a special award.

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