Intensifying rural land use, and to some extent urban growth around Lake Taupō over the past 50 years, has increased the amount of nitrogen entering the lake.
Approximately 93 per cent of the manageable nitrogen entering the lake comes from pastoral land use. Stock urine makes up a large part of this percentage. That’s because it contains high levels of nitrogen – more than plants can use or soil can store, so most of it ends up leaching down through the soil, into groundwater and rivers and ultimately into the lake. Wastewater from treated sewage and septic tank seepage has contributed around seven per cent of the manageable nitrogen load to the lake.
The risk of nitrate leaching is higher over the winter months of May, June, July and August when the soil is much wetter.
Read the rules
Rules adopted by Waikato Regional Council in March 2007 cap the amount of nitrogen leaching from rural and urban properties into Lake Taupō. You can read about these rules online, in chapter 3.10 of the Waikato Regional Plan.
Test your situation
Use this flow chart to see if you need a consent.
Need a consent?
If you require consent or have to alter your practices to be compliant, your farm will have to be benchmarked first to get a nitrogen discharge allowance (NDA) assigned. Call the regional council on 0800 800 401 or email info@waikatoregion.govt.nz to start the benchmarking. Once this is done, you can decide what to do with your nitrogen discharge allowance, and you gain a resource consent. The main options are:
1. Continue as you are.
2. Alter your onsite practices but retain all of your nitrogen.
3. Alter your nitrogen levels, either by purchasing or selling nitrogen.
Read more on consents and how to apply for them on the Waikato Regional Council website.
Useful tools
OVERSEER®
A farm management software application that supports farmers and growers to make informed management decisions about their nutrient use on farm to improve performance and reduce losses to the environment.
Nitrogen management in the Lake Taupō catchment
A PDF to help you get your head around the rules.
Benchmarking information forms
A Waikato Regional Council webpage with information on how to benchmark the amount of nitrogen leaching from your property.
Nitrogen trading in the Lake Taupō catchment
A Waikato Regional Council webpage with information to help you understand how to trade nitrogen.
Stock numbers calculator
An Excel spreadsheet that helps you determine if your grazing activity needs a consent.
Record keeping template for consent holders
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to questions about nitrogen discharge allowances, nitrogen management plans and the consent process.
Need help?
Contact us if you have any queries or need help.
Waikato Regional Council’s Taupō office
Location: 100 Horomātangi Street
Phone: 07 378 6539 or 0800 800 401
Fax: 07 378 9049
Taupō District Council
Phone: +64 7 376 0899
Email: LTPT@taupo.govt.nz