120 | “As a farmer-owned cooperative, our focus is on helping farmers in the scheme to achieve better outcomes – not just economically but also environmentally,” says Brent Walton, WIL’s CEO. “Our approach is based on action and accountability and we achieve that through our Farm Environment Plan (FEP) process.” Every shareholder on the WIL irrigation scheme must have either an FEP in the case of larger properties, or a Farm Management Plan (FMP) for smaller lifestyle properties. These identify environmental risks and outline actions required to meet industry-agreed Good Management Practice (GMP). Lifting water quality is a key target, with progress on nitrogen reduction and overall farm performance tracked through independent FEP audits. “These plans go back 10 years in our area. It has been a really interesting journey and now they’re Watering farms, growing a sustainable future Kim Newth As one of the South Island’s major run-of-river irrigation schemes, Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL) plays a vital role in supporting North Canterbury’s rural farm sector. The cooperative scheme is dedicated to providing its farmers with long-term access to reliable water while ensuring that this precious resource is sustainably managed and protected for future generations. Located between the Waimakariri and Ashley/ Rakahuri rivers, the WIL irrigation scheme draws water from the Waimakariri River and delivers it to farms, lifestyle blocks and other rural properties through an 828-hectare open race network. The scheme, which irrigates 24,000 hectares, has a big economic and social impact in the Waimakariri District with approximately 500 jobs linked to it. The intake for the irrigation scheme on the Waimakariri River. ON FARM » Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd just part of how farmers farm. All our shareholder properties have an FEP or an FMP and 95% of the audited farms have an A or B grade. We have made a 25% reduction in nitrogen leaching since 2019 and are well on the way to meeting the 2030 targets and even 2040 targets.” Brent says local farmers on the scheme were quick to recognise the value of FEPs as a vehicle for continuous improvement and most have seen tangible gains in their bottom line over the past decade. “Everyone is looking at how they can continue making meaningful changes for the better on their farms.” WIL is currently actively investigating the use of tools such as Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and Targeted Stream Augmentation (TSA) to further improve water quality in its area and in groundwater and streams downstream of the irrigation scheme. Between the two rivers, WIL is also working on a long-term biodiversity project that has identified ecologically significant areas with potential for restoration. Fourteen restoration projects area underway at various sites, covering 38 hectares of land. Seedlings in Schools, also part of the project, is providing practical environmental education to empower students on ways to improve the local environment. “My vision is that in 10 years’ time that next generation will look back and see how far we have come with the improvements that we have made,” says Brent. “Every waterway will likely be planted by then and the trees we’ve already planted will be 10 or 15 years old. We’re making big strides not just in biodiversity but in how farms are being managed. With every single activity that we do, we have an eye on the future and the generations to come.”
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