A decision to close the 120-year-old Opaki water race could force the shutdown of several commercial operations in the lower North Island, including the award-winning Matahiwi Estate vineyard.
- Affected Parties: Over 50 properties, including approximately eight commercial operations.
- Critical Deadline: The Masterton District Council originally set a closure date for June 30 of this year.
- Legal Extension: Resource Management Act changes have automatically extended consents to December 31, 2027.
Alastair Scott, owner of Matahiwi Estate and former Wairarapa electorate MP, warned that the Masterton vineyard risks closure if the water remains unavailable. Scott, who chaired the Opaki water race users group, stated that he cannot make decisions regarding next year’s crop without certainty about the water supply.
The 25km long watercourse provides essential irrigation and stock water. Doug Lawrence, who has run a 14-hectare lifestyle block with sheep and deer for 40 years, said his stock are dependent on the race, which has been dry since October.
Lawrence noted that the shortage has already impacted neighbors, including a dairy farmer on a 162-hectare lease who has been unable to graze stock due to the lack of water.
Details of the Opaki water race closure
The Masterton District Council made the decision to close the race in 2020 following public consultation. Karen Yates, the council’s group manager of strategy, said the move was driven by legislative changes regarding water and land use, which hindered the renewal of resource consents.
Council documents also suggested that only a minority of users were reliant on the race for stock water and that broad support for maintaining the infrastructure was unclear.
Closing the race could cost the council up to $280,000. However, Yates noted that autumn supplies were already compromised by riverbed degradation, low flows, and changes in the river channel.
Councillor David Holmes has opposed the closure, describing the survival of the race as a “welfare issue” due to the lack of underground water in the area. Holmes proposed building a weir at the Ruamahanga inlet to ensure constant flow, arguing the council would be obliged to find alternative water sources if the race is closed.
The council is now preparing to consult with race ratepayers to explore views on operating the race during the extended consent period provided by the Resource Management Act.
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