Rule 11

Rule 11 has a single goal: To protect lake water quality. Nutrient benchmarks must be set for all properties larger than 4,000 square metres in five lake catchments. They are Rotorua, Rotoiti, Rotoehu, Okareka, and Okaro

As well as explaining what Rule 11 is, this section also has answers to frequently asked questions and maps.

What is Rule 11?

New regulations in Environment Bay of Plenty’s Proposed Regional Water and Land Plan will affect the way people manage their land in vulnerable lake catchments.

“Rule 11”, as the set of rules is commonly called, has major implications for land use, land development and land management in the Rotorua area. Nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, are the main cause of water quality problems in the Rotorua lakes.

Rule 11 tackles the issue of spiralling nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs into the lakes by setting a limit on the amount leaving all properties in the most vulnerable catchments. The catchments targeted by Rule 11 are Rotorua, Rotoiti, Okareka, Rotoehu and Okaro.

It will very effectively “put a line in the sand” and stop further increases of nitrogen and phosphorus inputs from activities like agriculture. Over the last decade or two, our lakes have felt the effects of intensified land use. When more nutrients are produced than the land can cope with, the excess eventually ends up in the water. If we want to fix the lakes, we need to stop further increases in nitrogen and phosphorus inputs.

Nutrient levels

Work has started on the setting of nutrient benchmark levels for rural properties. In most cases, the benchmark will be an average of the annual nitrogen and phosphorus losses between mid-2001 and mid-2004. There are also rules to limit losses from small properties, and to control sewage and stormwater discharges from urban areas.

After levels are set, landowners will not be able to change or intensify land use without taking steps to fully offset any increased loss of nitrogen or phosphorus. For example, they could balance out extra stock numbers by planting and fencing off streambanks.

The ‘Rule 11’ regulations are part of a wide-ranging programme of action called the Rotorua Lakes Protection and Restoration Action Programme. This is a joint project by Environment Bay of Plenty, Rotorua District Council and Te Arawa Maori Trust Board.

Fact sheets

Environment Bay of Plenty has a number of fact sheets about the Rotorua Lakes, including one about Rule 11.

NPLAS 

Nitrogen Phosphorus Load Assessment System (NPLAS) is a software model that predicts the total amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that is lost through runoff or leaching off the farm. This model takes into account the farming operation and on-farm mitigation factors including ponds, wetlands and filter strips.

For more information about NPLAS, contact us.