Term 

Definition 

7-day mean annual low flow (MALF) 

The average, for a number of years, of the lowest average flow over seven consecutive days in each year. 

The lowest average flow over seven consecutive days in each year is determined by calculating the average flow over seven consecutive days for every seven consecutive day period in the year and choosing the lowest. 

Agrichemical 

Any substance whether inorganic or organic, man-made or naturally occurring, modified or in its original state, that is used to eradicate, modify, or control flora and fauna. For the purpose of this Plan, it includes agricultural compounds, but excludes oral nutrition compounds, vertebrate toxic agents, and fertilisers. 

Agricultural solid waste 

Agricultural waste that exhibits the properties of a solid, e.g., it can be stacked and hold a definite angle of repose. For the purposes of the Plan, if any waste does not meet the definition of agricultural solid waste it is treated as agricultural liquid waste. 

Agricultural waste 

The waste from the customary and generally accepted activities, practices, and procedures that farmers and producers adopt, use, or engage in during the production and preparation for market of poultry, livestock, and associated farm products; and in the production and harvesting of agricultural crops that include agronomic, horticultural, silvicultural, viticultural and aquaculture activities. In addition, winery wastewater and grape marc constitutes agricultural waste. 

Animal effluent storage facility 

A pond, tank, or structure primarily used for the containment or storage of animal effluent, but excludes any ancillary structures for the collection, conveyance, or treatment of liquid or solid animal effluent, such as sumps, stone traps and weeping walls. 

Animal effluent system 

The collection, storage, or treatment, of liquid or solid animal effluent. 

Aquifer pump testing 

A test made by pumping a well for a period of time and observing the change in water level or pressure in the aquifer. A pumping test may be used to determine the capacity of the well, the hydraulic characteristic of the aquifer or any interference effects. 

Artificial water course 

A watercourse that is deliberately created by human action (including an irrigation canal, water supply race, canal for the supply of water for electricity power generation, farm drainage canal, drain, or duck pond) provided that it is not part of a water body or a modified watercourse. 

Available reticulated wastewater system 

A community or municipal reticulated wastewater system which: 

(1) passes within 30 metres of the property boundary: or, 

(2) passes 60 metres of the closest building on a property; and 

(3) the system has existed in that location for more than 12 months. 

Biosolids 

Sludge derived from a wastewater treatment plant that has been treated and/or stabilised to the extent that it is able to be safely and beneficially applied to land. 

Cascading hazards 

Where the occurrence of one natural hazard is likely to trigger another natural hazard event e.g., an earthquake triggering a landslide which dams a river causing flooding. 

Classifiable dam 

A dam that: 

(a)     has a height of 4 or more metres and stores 20,000 or more cubic metres volume of water or other fluid; or 

(b)     has a height of 1 or more metres and stores 40,000 or more cubic metres volume of water or other fluid.  

For the purpose of this definition: 

(a) the height of the dam is the vertical distance from the crest of the dam and must be measured: 

(i) in the case of a dam across a water body, from the natural bed of the water body at the lowest downstream outside limit of the dam; and 

(ii) in the case of a dam not across a water body, from the lowest elevation at the outside limit of the dam; and 

(iii) in the case of a canal, from the invert of the canal; and 

(b) in measuring a dam’s stored volume, the stored volume of water or other fluid does not include: 

(i) in the case of a dam across a water body, water or fluid that is lower than the natural ground level at the lowest downstream outside limit of the dam; and 

(ii) in the case of a dam not across a water body, water or fluid that is lower than the natural ground level at the lowest elevation at the outside limit of the dam; and 

(iii) in the case of a canal where the canal invert (the lowest point of the inside of the canal structure that stores water or fluid) is below the natural ground level, water or fluid that is lower than the natural ground level at the lowest elevation at the outside limit of the canal structure. 

Climate change adaptation 

The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. 

Climate change mitigation 

A human intervention to reduce the sources of, or enhance the sinks of, greenhouse gases. 

Closed landfill 

Any landfill that no longer accepts solid waste for disposal. 

Community water supply 

Water taken and used primarily to supply drinking water to users via a reticulated system, with water also supplied for other purposes including institutional, industrial, and commercial processing, cultivation, and production of food and beverages and fibre, animal drinking water purposes, amenity irrigation use and fire-fighting activities. 

The supply of domestic water must constitute at least 50% of the water supplied. 

Composting toilet 

A toilet system that uses a predominantly aerobic processing system that treats human excreta, typically with no water, via composting or managed aerobic decomposition. 

Construction phase stormwater 

Water, sediment, and entrained contaminants resulting from precipitation on exposed or unstabilised land and which arises from construction or demolition activities, or the development of land. 

Controlled lake 

A lake that is located within the bed of a river where the outflow of the lake is controlled by artificial means. 

Cross-mixing 

The introduction of water from one water body into another water body, where there is no natural connection between those water bodies. 

Cultivation 

Preparing land for growing pasture or a crop by mechanical tillage, direct drilling, herbicide spraying, or herbicide spraying followed by over-sowing for pasture or forage crops (colloquially referred to as ‘spray and pray’), but excludes:

(a) herbicide spraying undertaken solely for the control of pest plant species.
(b) herbicide spraying for the establishment or maintenance of plantation forestry; and
(c) stick raking or slash raking associated with a plantation forest

Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator 

The Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator available from 

http://www.dairynzdesc.co.nz 

Dam 

A structure used or to be used for the purpose of impounding water (and any substances dissolved in, suspended, or otherwise combined with the water) or water body. 

Damming 

The activity of impounding water (and any substances dissolved in, suspended in or otherwise combined with the water). 

Dewatering 

The abstraction of groundwater so as to lower the water table: 

(a) for the period of time required to enable excavation, construction, maintenance, or geotechnical work to proceed in the dewatered area; or 

(b) to sustain a lower localised water table. 

Diversion 

The purposeful redirecting of water flow from its natural or existing direction of flow. For the purposes of this Plan, taking water from the bed of any water body, even if only for a short distance before it is returned, is considered a take and discharge. 

Drilling 

A method of boring a hole into the ground predominantly by rotating, percussive or washing action. Excludes excavation of pits by digging, blasting or other forms of excavation, driven posts or driven solid pile. 

Effects management hierarchy (in relation to indigenous biodiversity) 

The effects management hierarchy set out in ECO-P6 of the ORPS. 

Effects management hierarchy (in relation to natural inland wetlands and rivers) 

The effects management hierarchy set out in LF-FW-P13A of the ORPS. 

Environmental flows and levels 

Any minimum flows, management flows, environmental levels and minimum levels identified in this Plan that apply to a waterbody. 

Environmental level 

The water levels, when measured at the relevant water level monitoring site, within which a lake must be maintained, and may include minimum levels and maximum operating levels. 

Existing resource consent 

1. resource consent which has been given effect to 

2. resource consent which has not been given effect to and has not lapsed; and  

3. an expired resource consent continuing to be exercised under s124 of the RMA.   

This has the same meaning as in the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020:

A stockholding area where cattle —

(a) are kept for at least 80 days in any 6-month period; and

(b) are fed exclusively by hand or machine.

Flood protection and drainage infrastructure 

Any infrastructure owned or managed by ORC exercising its powers, functions and duties under the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941, the Land Drainage Act 1908, or the Local Government Act 1974, in relation to flood control and drainage. 

Flood protection and drainage infrastructure works 

Any works undertaken by or on behalf of ORC for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, altering, or removing any flood protection and drainage infrastructure. 

Fractured rock aquifers 

An aquifer which stores and transmits water through crevices, joints and fractures in an otherwise impervious rock mass, as shown in [a map to come]. 

Freshwater Management Units (FMUs) and rohe 

Otago is divided into five Freshwater Management Units (FMUs). An FMU is a water body or multiple water bodies of a manageable size where freshwater objectives and limits will be set.  

Rohe means ‘area’ in te reo, and is used to define distinct areas within larger FMUs. 

Hāpua (lagoon)

A pool of water, lagoon, pond. 

Hard protection structure 

Within the coastal environment, this has the same meaning as in the Glossary of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 as set out below: 

Includes a seawall, rock revetment, groyne, breakwater, stop bank, retaining wall or comparable structure or modification to the seabed, foreshore or coastal land that has the primary purpose or effect of protecting an activity from a coastal hazard, including erosion.

Outside the coastal environment, this means any structure that has the primary purpose of natural hazard risk mitigation, including: dams, weirs, riprap, stop banks, carriageways, groynes, or reservoirs. 

The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act is a law that manages the risks that hazardous substances and new organisms pose to the health and safety of people and communities and the New Zealand environment. 

In-stream dam  

Any dam which is located in part or in whole in, on, under or over the bed of a lake or river, or within a natural inland wetland. 

Indigenous vegetation 

Vascular and non-vascular plants that, in relation to a particular area, are native to the ecological district1 or freshwater or marine bioregion in which that area is located. 

Māori Environmental Management.

Ki uta ki tai

The Land and Water Regional Plan will be based on a whole-of-catchment approach - ki uta ki tai - from the mountains to the sea. 

Lawfully established 

Established in accordance with and compliant with the Resource Management Act 1991 or any former legislation at the time of establishment. 

Line 

A wire or conductor (including a fibre optic cable) used or intended to be used for telecommunications or the transmission of electricity. 

Liquid animal effluent 

Faeces and urine from land-based animals, including associated process water, wash-down water, contaminants and sludge but excluding solid animal effluent. For the purposes of this definition, it does not include incidental animal effluent present in livestock processing waste streams. 

Mahika kai 

Gathering of food and natural materials by Kāi Tahu whānui in accordance with tikaka, the places where those resources are gathered, and the work, methods and cultural activities involved in obtaining them. 

Main stem 

In relation to rivers, the rivers identified in [a schedule to come] of this Plan and applies from the source of that course to the sea or confluence with another main stem but excludes any tributary.  

Management flow 

The flow, when measured at the relevant flow monitoring site, at which the taking of water from a water body is subject to reductions. 

Mātaitai reserves are identified traditional fishing grounds tangata whenua have a special relationship with.

Minimum flow 

The flow, when measured at the relevant water flow monitoring site, at which the taking of water from a water body must cease. 

Minimum level 

The water level, when measured at the relevant water level monitoring site, at which the taking of water from a water body must cease. 

Modified watercourse 

A water body that has been modified, channelled, or straightened for land drainage or other purposes. 

National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (NES-F). The standards regulate activities that pose risks to the health of freshwater and freshwater ecosystems. 

The National Objectives Framework (NOF) sets the necessary values, outcomes and specific attributes required to meet the hierarchy of obligations and local definitions of Te Mana o Te Wai, and enable long-term visions to be realised.  

The Government’s National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) 2020 gives effect to new protection we must give to our waterways. 

Natural lake 

A lake that is not a controlled lake or an off-stream artificial lake. 

Non-consumptive take 

A take of water from a water body where the same volume of water is returned:    

(a) to the same water body; and  

(b) at the same time or within a timeframe as near as practicable to when the take is operating.  

Off-stream artificial lake 

A lake that is located outside of the bed of a river and that is not part of a water body. 

Off-stream dam 

Any dam of which no part is located in, on, under or over the bed of a lake or river, or within a natural inland wetland. 

On-site wastewater treatment system 

A system that receives wastewater or sewage from a single landholding and treats and applies the wastewater or sewage to a land application system on the same property. 

Organic waste 

Biodegradable vegetative material which includes compost and green waste and does not include any sewage, greywater, industrial or trade waste or agricultural waste.