Excluding stock from smaller streams

This factsheet is for farmers, industry bodies and regional authorities developing regional freshwater policy.

Most of the contaminant load in waterways across New Zealand originates from small, steeply sloping streams that, under national regulations, stock can access.

Under the Essential Freshwater stock exclusion regulations, cattle, deer and pigs must be excluded from waterways over 1m wide by certain dates (depending on stock type, slope and grazing intensity), and new fences to achieve this must be setback at least 3m.

Steeply sloping shallow streams 1m or less wide are exempt from these regulations.

Modelling indicates an average of 77% of the national contaminant load (nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and E. coli) comes from exempt streams in flat catchments dominated by pasture.