As long as water continues to run downhill there will be mixed opinion over the management of how and where fresh water is best used. The Government is to compulsorily acquire irrigators / farmer's miners' rights or deemed permits to fresh water in four years' time. To avoid the law of the unintended consequence, judicious investment in time over the allocation, use and storage of fresh water is vital. The public's ``allocation'' by way of the minimum flow imposed is the vital decision by the ORC for farming/land use communities as well as recreational users. It is therefore a significant nonsense to expect the minimum flow on remaining rivers (Cardrona, Arrow, Manuherikia) to be swiftly resolved.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 30, 2017 17:10 UTC