Is the current water storage issue a problem or a symptom of management?
Does building more dams, flood protection structures, and irrigation schemes
really improve the water storage capabilities of the South Island?
While millions will be spent on such structures, how much would it cost to
address the cause of the water shortage; soils that are bare, capped, and
prone to erosion?
A soil with a capped surface will not allow water to penetrate or plants
to germinate. Is there any present or envisaged technology that can
break the soil surface crust, ready the land for rain, whether on flat or
steep country? None. Does fire do this? No. Only
the hooves of grazing animals can do this task and simultaneously recycle
carbon, improve eroding country, increase biodiversity, while feeding humans.
Humus can hold 5 times its weight in water. Not only will water be
retained but also carbon will remain in the soil to help hold the soil together
and regenerate pasture productivity.
A soil that can absorb water rapidly and release it slowly has many benefits
to the farmer and the wider community. It means longer growing seasons
for grasses. It means stock dams take longer to dry up in droughts.
It means soil erosion will reduce along with the frequency and severity of
flooding. It means springs and creeks that often run dry remain flowing
throughout the year. It means flows into hydro lakes would have greater
consistency over the year and not rely solely on snow melt and surface runoff
from dramatic storms. All this means better business, greater enjoyment
of land stewardship, and more community prosperity.
Imagine if Councils offered a 50% rebate on rates if land absorbed rainfall
at 100 mm per hour with no run off. Maybe all irrigation users that
draw water from bore wells could subsidise up country graziers for managing
their soil better. Without incentives to help change perceptions, farmers
are likely to continue viewing their animals as nothing more than commodities
rather than vital tools for land improvement and assets to the nation.
By revisiting grazing and recovery time of pastures, the soil surface in
many areas could be improved with little more than fencing. The proper
planning of grazing can simultaneously improve grass cover, increase soil
organic matter, and enhance soil porosity with or without fertiliser.
An improvement in the soils capacity to absorb and hang on to water must
start with a better grasp of how grazing animals influence the soil surface.
Only from there can farmers make a credible assertion that their land stewardship
contributes to improving the water storage capacity.
While the government is looking to engineering marvels to fix our ailing
hydro electric infrastructure, our soils are eroding away along with the
capacity of the land to soak up the rain that falls from the sky. What
is the point of building dams if they silt up in 100 years? Could farmers
contribute to the regeneration of water storage with their lowly rated animals?
Yes, but only by the greater community supporting farmers to change their
grazing practices.
John King from Succession coaches farming families to make decisions that
are profitable, regenerative, and bring enjoyment to land stewardship.
Contact him at succession@clear.net.nz or 025 6737 885 or AH (03) 547 6347.
John acknowledges the input of Rod Patterson Consultancy in putting this
article together.
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