SVIS Messages

1 November 2024

SVIS Booster pump now operating

The booster pumps were put into operation this morning. They may switch off again if demand is low. If this occurs over the long weekend we will not attempt to restart them until next week.

SVIS - Fareham Lane/Guernsey Road

The Fareham Lane pump was put into service this morning. The pump may switch off again if demand is low. If this occurs over the long weekend we will not attempt to restart it until next week.

21 October 2024

SVIS – Priming will start tomorrow, Tues 22 October

We will begin priming the system tomorrow afternoon. It will take a couple of days before the system is up to full pressure.

Once up to pressure (probably Thursday) this would be a good time for those of you who want to top up dams to do so. This will provide us with a consistent demand over the first few days that will help keep the system operating as we get underway.

14 October 2024

SVIS Start Up for 2024

While we have had a few enquiries seeking a start of the system, many of these are for small takes. We have two dams looking to fill but these on their own along with the recent rain is unlikely to provide a demand that will be sustainable. As there has been 10 to 15 mm overnight and further rain forecast at the end of the week we will wait to see what the weather does later this week before making a call to start or not.

11 October 2024

SVIS Start Up

We are reviewing when the scheme needs to be primed and made operational. Please advise if you are ready to commence irrigating or if you have a dam you want to top up. Let us know with an email to stephen.rooney@marlborough.govt.nz

15 May 2024

SVIS shutdown for the 2024 Season

SVIS shut down for the end of the season.
We will be shutting the system off for the season on Friday 17 May.

1 May 2024

SVIS continuing into the first part of May

SVIS will continue to operate for the time being.
We will continue to run SVIS for the next few weeks or until demand drops off.

29 April 2024

SVIS Season Shutdown

Due to the continuing drought we are considering delaying this years shutdown until later in May. If SVIS continues to operate will you use water for irrigation? Please advise by email to stephen.rooney@marlborough.govt.nz

18 April 2024

SVIS is Operational again

The river has cleared enough to enable us to get the system back and operational. It was up to full pressure at 3.00 pm. If you wish to use water please do so over the next ten days as it is likely the system will be shutdown for winter on April 30.

15 April 2024

SVIS - restart following the rain

We don't expect there will be anyone wanting to irrigate before the end of April. Does anyone want to flush irrigation systems with clean water prior to winter. Or is anyone wanting to fill dams. If the river clears sufficiently and providing there is enough interest (demand) we will consider starting up next week. Please advise on the following email address stephen.rooney@marlborough.govt.nz if you want to use water Note the system will be shutdown for winter at the end of the month.

2 April 2024

SVIS Update

Mean river flow this morning is 7.26m3/s. The system will be switched off once more by 9.00 am today. Updates will be posted as this changes in the week.

1 April 2024

SVIS Update

Mean river flow this morning is 8.49m3/s. Without further rain or Trustpower generation this will give us another 24hrs of run time. We anticipate switching pumps off again Tuesday morning at 9.00 am. Will update with another post Tuesday morning.

30 March 2024

SVIS Operational from 12.00 pm

Due to Trustpower generating and a small amount of rain, the daily mean river flow is currently 9.6m3/s. The system is once again in full operation and ready for use. We anticipate 2-3 days of operation at this stage. We will post updates as necessary.

27 March 2024

SVIS Operational

The system including Hammond Road and Fareham Lane is operational once more. With the mean river flow only just above 8m3/s this will likely only last 24hrs max. We anticipate system will be shutdown again by this time tomorrow. Unless we post otherwise assume the system will be shutdown again by 9.00 am Thursday.

25 March 2024

SVIS is to be shut down again this morning

The average daily river flow is down below 8.0 m3/s again this morning. The system will be shutdown at about 8.30 am. It will remain off until the daily average flow is back above 8.0 m3/s.

22 March 2024

SVIS operating again

The average daily river flow is back above 8.0 m3/s (just) after Trustpower generation at Lake Argyle. This may not last very long so may have to shutdown again over the weekend.

21 March 2024

SVIS Shutdown

The average river flow this morning is below 8.0 m3/s. As required by the resource consent conditions we will be shutting off at 8.30 this morning.

20 March 2024

SVIS Update Wednesday

The average daily river flow will likely be below 8.0 m3/s in the morning. We will have to shut SVIS off. Obviously this will stop the flow of water for irrigation from the system but note also water will not be available for washing down harvesters and other equipment. If water is needed other arrangements will have to be made.

As previously advised due to resource consent conditions Council can no longer make water available from the Blenheim water supply for either irrigation or washdown.

18 March 2024

SVIS Update Monday

There was a little increase in river flow after the rain on Friday evening but the level is back to being just above 8.0 m3/s. With no rain in the ten day forecast we expect to have to shut the scheme off tomorrow or Wednesday.

14 March 2024

SVIS Update Thursday

The daily average flow this morning is 9.97m3/s. The actual flow is currently 9.72 m3/s. Without any rainfall or generation, we will likely be looking at shutting system down within the next few days. As SVIS is approaching shutdown and will not be available, please make sure you have stored water or other means for harvester washdown or spraying. Unless this changes next update will be Friday 15 March.

13 March 2024

SVIS Update Wednesday

The daily average flow this morning is 10.3m3/s. The actual flow is currently 10.1 m3/s. Without any rainfall or generation, we will likely be looking at shutting system down within the next few days. As SVIS is approaching shutdown and will not be available, please make sure you have stored water or other means for harvester washdown or spraying. Unless this changes next update will be Thursday 14 March.

11 March 2024

SVIS Update Monday

The daily average flow this morning is 11.6m3/s. The actual flow is currently 10.7 m3/s. Without any rainfall or generation, we will likely be looking at shutting system down within the next few days. Unless this changes next update will be Wednesday 13 March.

8 March 2024

SVIS Update Friday

The daily average flow this morning is 19.5m3/s. The flow is currently 15.1 m3/s. This will keep the system operating until early next week. We will keep you posted with another update on Monday .

6 March 2024

SVIS Update Wednesday

“With decent rainfall in the catchment. The daily average flow this morning is 14.1m3/s. The flow is currently 21.8 m3/s and still possibly rising slowly. This is likely to keep us operating until maybe early next week. We will keep you posted with updates”.

4 March 2024

SVIS Monday update

We've been saved by the rain for now. The daily average flow this morning was 8.4 m3/s. The flow is now 10 m3/s and still rising slowly. This is likely to keep us operating for a few days at least. We will keep you posted with updates later in the week.

1 March 2024

SVIS shut off update

As a result of a small rainfall event in the headwaters on Monday Trustpower's generation river levels have been steady at an average of 11.0 m3/s over the last two days. We are now unlikely to have to consider shutting off before Monday. There is rainfall forecast for Monday morning so we might be operating for a bit longer yet.

29 February 2024

SVIS Thursday shut off update

There has been no further appreciable change to the river flow rate of reduction. We are expecting to have to have shut off over the weekend. WE are likely to be able to provide which day tomorrow morning.

28 February 2024

SVIS shut off update

There has been a lift in river flows as a result of rainfall in the head waters over the weekend and the tributaries are rising slightly now from rain late yesterday. We will see a small benefit from that at the Tuamarina recorder tomorrow morning. At this rate we expect the shut off might be necessary in 3 to 6 days. We'll provide a further update tomorrow morning.

26 February 2024

Imminent shutdown of scheme

The average daily Wairau River flow this morning is just above 9.0 m3/s. We expect to have to shut the system down in the next couple of days when it reaches a daily average of 8.0 m3/s. There is no rainfall forecast until next week. Customers can expect the water will be switched of before the end of the week.

23 February 2024

Potential SVIS shutdown next week

We are anticipating having to shut SVIS down early next week unless there is rainfall in the catchment over the weekend that will increase river flows. The environmental graph on the website maybe inaccurate has been showing the flow steady at around 14 m3 per second for most of this week. This is unusual as there has been no rain to create this. The flow will be manually assessed this afternoon. The result of this is likely to find the flow is lower than being recorded.

12 February 2024

SVIS riverflow update

The Wairau River average flow is down to 19 m3/s. It is receding at a flow of 1.0 m3/s per day. We will have to commence reductions in the water take when it reaches 12 m3/s and full shutoff at 8 m3/s. Keep an eye on the flow rates on the web site to monitor the on going flows. We will update regularly through antenno also.

22 January 2024

SVIS – River Flow update

There's been some rain in the headwaters over the last few days. The river flow is currently 35 m3/s. It's unlikely an SVIS shutoff will be required for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Of course there might be more rain before that.

15 January 2024

SVIS 2024 Wairau River flows

The river flow got as low as 18 m3 per second overnight. Without rainfall it will drop as much as 1m3/s each day. We are required to stop taking water for SVIS if the flow reaches 8.0 m3/s. We will provide regular updates in the coming weeks. You can view this information for yourself at the following: https://hydro.marlborough.govt.nz/environmental