Chapter 5: Water

5.4.4 Beds of Rivers and Lakes

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Policy 5-22: General management of the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^

Activities in, on, under or over the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^ must generally be managed in a manner which:
  1. recognises and provides for the Schedule B Values for the Water Management Sub-zones* in which the activity takes place, in the manner described in Policies 5-23, 5-24 and 5-25
  2. avoids any significant reduction in the ability of a river^ and its bed^ to convey flood flows, or significant impedance to the passage of floating debris
  3. avoids, remedies or mitigates any significant adverse effects^ on the stability and function of the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^, and existing structures^ including flood and erosion control structures^
  4. avoids, remedies or mitigates any significant reduction in the habitat diversity, including the morphological diversity, of the river^ or lake^ or its bed^
  5. manages effects^ on natural character and public access in accordance with the relevant policies in Chapter 6. Natural character can include the natural style and dynamic processes of the river^, such as bed^ style and width and the quality and quantity of bed^ habitat
  6. provides for the safe passage of fish both upstream and downstream
  7. ensures that the existing nature and extent of navigation of the river^ or lake^ are not obstructed
  8. ensures that access required for the operation*, maintenance*, and upgrade* of infrastructure^ and other physical resources of regional or national importance is not obstructed
  9. provides for continued public access in accordance with Policy 6-10.

Policy 5-23: Activities in sites* with a Value of Natural State, Sites of Significance - Cultural, or Sites of Significance - Aquatic

In sites* with a Schedule B Value of Natural State, Sites of Significance - Cultural or Sites of Significance - Aquatic, activities in, on, under or over the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^ must be managed in a manner which:
  1. avoids adverse effects^ on these Values in the first instance, or
  2. for infrastructure^ and other resources of regional and national importance, or activities that result in an environmental benefit, remedies or mitigates those effects^ where it is not practicable to avoid them, and
  3. maintains the habitat and spawning requirements of the species identified.

Policy 5-24: Activities in rivers^ or lakes^ and their beds^ with a Value of Flood Control and Drainage

In reaches of rivers^ or lakes^ and their beds^ with a Schedule B Value of Flood Control and Drainage, activities in, on, under or over the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^ and on land^ adjacent to the bed^ where the Value is located must be managed in a manner which:
  1. enables the degree of flood hazard and erosion protection existing at the time of Plan notification (31 May 2007) to be maintained or enhanced
  2. addresses adverse effects by:
    1. in the first instance, avoiding, remedying or mitigating adverse effects^ on the instream morphological components of natural character and other Schedule B Values
    2. providing consent applicants with the option of making an offset
    3. allowing compensation by way of a financial contribution in accordance with the policies in Chapter 19.

Policy 5-25: Activities in rivers^ or lakes^ and their beds^ with other Schedule B Values

In sites* with Schedule B Values other than Natural State, Sites of Significance - Cultural, Sites of Significance - Aquatic, or Flood Control and Drainage, activities in, on, under or over the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^ must be managed in a manner which:
  1. in the first instance avoids, remedies or mitigates significant adverse effects^ on the instream morphological components of natural character and Schedule B Values
  2. provides consent applicants with the option of making an offset
  3. allows compensation by way of a financial contribution in accordance with the policies in Chapter 19.

Policy 5-26: Essential and beneficial activities

Activities in, on, under or over the beds^ of rivers^ and lakes^ that are essential or result in an environmental benefit must generally be allowed, including:
  1. the use, maintenance* and upgrading* of existing infrastructure^ and other existing physical resources of regional or national importance
  2. works designed to maintain or improve the stability and functionality of existing structures^
  3. the removal of derelict, unlawful or non-functional structures^
  4. the restoration or enhancement of natural habitats.

Policy 5-27: Gravel extraction

Subject to Policies 5-22 to 5-26 and the need to ensure that gravel extraction volumes are sustainable, the benefit the gravel resource provides for use and development and the flood protection benefit of having it managed will be recognised.

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