Dry weather hub

Dry summers are easier to manage when decisions are made early. There are various things you can do to be prepared for dry weather:

• Know your consent conditions. If you have a water-take consent, check your conditions now to make sure you remain compliant as conditions dry out. If in doubt, contact our Consents team by emailing consents.enquiries@horizons.govt.nz or calling freephone 0508 800 800.

• Check your bores, pipes, troughs, irrigation systems and tanks. Keeping hold of the water you have, and using it efficiently, will help to keep your costs down and preserve water longer as dry weather takes hold. Maintenance now will pay off later. If you have an unused bore, ensure it is correctly decommissioned.

• Make a plan. The Ministry for Primary Industries has a checklist which is a good starting point. Beef + Lamb NZ, DairyNZ and other industry groups also have planning tools. If you’re new to farming and/or growing, or recently moved to your farm/lifestyle block, talk to experts and/or your neighbours about how to get ready for your specific conditions.

• Talk to our Rural Advice team. Rural Advice staff are available to give advice and practical solutions to farmers and growers on a range of matters, including water management. Contact them by emailing rural.advice@horizons.govt.nz or calling freephone 0508 800 800.

• Look after yourself and those around you. Dry conditions can be stressful. Rural Support Trust offers free, confidential support for those who need it. Contact them by calling 0800 787 254.

The term ‘drought’ can mean different things to different people. There is not one single formal drought declaration. Instead, central government classifies dry weather conditions as ‘adverse events’, which can differ in intensity between localised, medium-scale and large-scale. Central government also decides what support to provide at each of those intensities.

Earth Sciences NZ has a good explainer about different drought definitions, which can be found here. You can find out about how the Ministry for Primary Industries classifies adverse events here.

Dry spells are not just hard on stock and rivers, but people too. Help is available.

• Rural Support Trust: Rural Support Trusts are a nationwide network directly assisting rural communities and individuals affected by adverse events. They advocate for financial assistance, provide stress management services, and help with coordinating the response to an event. Contact them for a free and confidential conversation by calling 0800 787 254.

• Government support: The Ministry for Primary Industries assesses adverse events, while central government decides what support to provide. We will update this section if an adverse event is declared.

• Bank, accountant and rural advisors: Talking to your bank, accountant and rural advisor early is advised. They can help with managing finances, completing a feed budget and/or sourcing alternative feed. Industry groups such as Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ can help to connect you to advisors if need be.

• Neighbours and colleagues: Checking in on each other is very important. This is especially true if you know of people who are isolated or on their own.

When river and streams drop and the water gets warmer, cyanobacteria have better conditions to grow. Cyanobacteria, also known as toxic algae, are naturally occurring and live in a range of waterways. However, blooms of cyanobacteria can be a threat to humans and animals.

Toxic algae looks like dark, slimy mats on stones in rivers and streams. In lakes and slow-flowing water, toxic algae grow in a free-floating form (which can cause the water to become murky or cloudy) and can form visible green-to-red films or scums on the water’s surface.

There are some things you can do to keep safe if you suspect toxic algae are in a waterway:

• Check the latest swim spot monitoring results on LAWA before going for a swim in a lake, stream or river.

• Keep out of the water if you see dark, slimy mats on the stones, or green scum on cloudy water.

• If you think you have swum in contaminated water, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible.

• Prevent your dog from touching, licking or eating algae mats. Do not let your dog drink water from affected areas. If your dog has been in the water, stop them from licking their fur, wash them with fresh water immediately, and contact your vet.

Fire and Emergency NZ is responsible for fire restrictions. The easiest way to see if there are restrictions in place is to head to Check It’s Alright, which has a three-step tool to let you know if it’s safe to light a fire and if you need a permit.

We encourage you not to burn waste where possible. For information on your local refuse or recycling centre, check your city/district council’s website. If you do have to burn waste, you can learn more about what you can and can't burn, as well as the best way to burn it, here.

City and district councils are responsible for managing domestic water use. They tend to put in place restrictions on things such as watering gardens and washing cars and home when conditions are dry. You should check your city/district council’s website for more information about water restrictions. We will aim to update this section with links to district-specific information as and when it becomes available.