The Southland Water Resources Project was initiated in 2003 in response to ongoing changes in land use and an overall increase in water allocation from early 2002. Recognition of potential for water resource development in the Southland Region following trends established elsewhere in New Zealand was a further stimulus for the study.

Copies of the final reports on the Southland Water Resources Study are available to download from this website as PDF documents.

The study was funded by MAF through the Sustainable Farming Fund and managed by Venture Southland, which contracted the work to a consortium of Lincoln Environmental, MWH and NIWA (for Stages 1-3) and SKM (Stage 4). In-kind support was provided by Environment Southland, the Southland District Council, Invercargill City Council and Gore District Council.

Project Overview