Two hundred professionals, including overseas delegates and a group from the Korean Water Resources Association, converged on Marlborough last week for the New Zealand Hydrological Conference.
The annual gathering, held by the New Zealand Hydrological Society, explored the theme ‘Securing Our Water Future’ and was held at the Marlborough Events Centre in Blenheim.
In her welcoming address Mayor Nadine Taylor said this was an important overarching theme because “the work on how to secure our water future has never been more important.”
“In New Zealand, ongoing extreme weather events, the impacts of climate change and the need to manage our water resources sustainably, including both quantity and quality, highlight the significant complexities in securing our water future. It most certainly will require both adaptation and collaboration,” she said.
“Here in Marlborough, we have unfortunately experienced two major rainfall events – in 2021 and 2022 – which left us grappling with the physical impact and financial cost of climate change-fuelled events on our infrastructure, mainly our roading network, but also on property and our Wairau flood protection scheme.”
She described the Wairau River as the “lifeblood of Marlborough’s Wairau Plain” acknowledging its direct contribution to the livelihood of the province.
“Integrated management of our rivers has never been more important for councils such as ours. We recognise and acknowledge our role and the need for long-term planning for sea level rise, climate change and extreme weather. And we are committed to investing into that planning in research for the good of Marlborough and New Zealand,” she said.
Attendees at the conference had the opportunity to digest technical papers and listen to keynote speakers, including some focused on the Wairau River and aquifer system and local water resource management. Participants also enjoyed field trips highlighting some of the collaborative projects underway.
