The Rangitata River is the border between two zone committees with two different Zone Implementation Programmes (ZIPs): Ashburton and Orari-Opihi.

Extract from the Ashburton Zone Implementation Program: ‘Water is precious and limited. It must be managed in ways that recognise and balance its importance for cultural, economic and recreational use, aesthetic and landscape values and biodiversity values – and delivers both individual and community good. We affirm and recognise tangata whenua and the value they place on mahinga kai, and the priority of available high quality sources of drinking water in rivers, waterways and aquifers. We also recognise the intrinsic value of aquatic ecosystems and river health (quality and flow), and the need to both prevent further decline and then restore wetlands and waterways. We know that to achieve all the targets of the CWMS within our zone it is necessary to strategically manage the water within our zone and provide opportunities to bring more water into the zone.’

Extract from the Orari-Opihi Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP): ‘The upper reaches of the Rakaia and Rangitata represent relatively weed free glacier fed catchments in almost pristine condition. Throughout their catchments, these rivers have outstanding fishery and habitat values… The Rangitata…provides outstanding habitat for many rare birds, fish, plants and other species, as well as a wide range of recreational values.’

Important Bird Areas on the Rangitata River: links to 6-page PDF file that includes maps, habitat types, and threats relevant to this river. This document was extracted from Forest & Bird’s 177-page 20Mb file on all rivers, lakes, and coastal areas.

Hakatere Conservation Park  straddles sections of the upper Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, is part of one of the best wetlands in the country. A national wetland restoration project was started in 1997 and involves three premier sites: Whangamarino in Waikato, Awarua/Waituna in Southland and Ō Tū Wharekai here in Canterbury. The rivers, lakes, tarns and swamps of Ō Tū Wharekai have their own special range of species; some of which are rare, for example our kettle holes are home to 23 threatened plants. Although each wetland habitat is unique, all waterways are interconnected, breathing life into the Hakatere basin.

Tenehaun Conservation Area.