Risks and Options Assessment for Decision making (ROAD): an application to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River

The Risks and Options Assessment for Decision making (ROAD) model is a new decision making tool for the mitigation the impact of risk events. Unlike cost-benefit analysis where projects are approved when the benefits of a project outweigh the costs, the ROAD model process allows decision makers to identify projects that will reduce the negative impact of a risk event on stakeholders. This research is the first time that the ROAD model process has been applied to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River in Canterbury. Information gained from Environment Canterbury Regional Council has been applied to the steps set out in the ROAD model to idenifty how it can be applied to water management. As this is the first time the ROAD model has been applied, more information and data needs to be generated by Environment Canterbury and stakeholders. What is shown by applying the ROAD model process to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River is how stakeholders are impacted in the event of a drought event. Environment Canterbury are constrained in their decision making by the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS) and national legislation such as the Resource Management Act (1991). Despite the constraints on Environment Canterbury, the ROAD model can still be used to reduce the impact of risk. Stakeholders for Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River include commercial irrigation companies, Trustpower who operate the Lake Coleridge hydropower station, farmers, Ngāi Tahu iwi and recreational river users. Strategies and projects to mitigate the impact of risk on these stakeholder groups can be developed through the ROAD model process. Further research should be conducted to continue the application of the ROAD model to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River once Environment Canterbury implement risk mitigation projects.