Drought Declaration Looming

GISBORNE is about two weeks away from a call for a drought declaration.

Rain and showers at the end of the 10-day forecast for Gisborne cannot come soon enough for croppers, pastoral farmers and households on tank water supplies.

Federated Farmers will seek a drought declaration for the district in the next two weeks unless significant rain falls.

Gisborne District Council will move to a level 2 water restriction today. This will mean a ban on the use of sprinklers and hoses must be hand held.

MetService predicts showers with a south-west change on February 8, followed by rain from the south-east on February 9 and more showers from the north-east on February 10.

But the forecast hot days in the week between now and then will worsen an already serious situation.

In the next seven days temperatures will climb to 30 degrees-plus each day.

Extreme fire risk

THE fire risk across the whole region has reached extreme levels because of the hot, dry and windy conditions.

The region’s fire authorities have become more and more concerned about it.

There have been a dozen serious rural vegetation fires around the district since the start of the year.

Source: Gisborne Herald.
Full article here:
http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/2648476-135/drought-in-two-weeks

Photo below:
FLAT OUT CARRYING WATER: Water carriers in the district continue to be busy as they work to meet household water supply demand around the parched district. These tankers were lined up outside the GDC’s Waipaoa water augmentation plant, which was fired up on Tuesday to help save water in the Mangapoike dams.