B-3 – Area 3 - Assessment of Environmental Effects 46 suppliers and the wider community. The additional GDP contribution per year is equivalent to 37% of Hauraki District’s GDP in 2019; 30 As described in Section 7.6.1.1. above, dewatering associated with the WUG Access Tunnel is not expected to alter the natural flow regime of surface water or shallow aquifers. Accordingly, no changes to water quality or aquatic ecosystem health are anticipated;31 Drilling in advance of the tunnel drive will identify the presence of faults or fractures. This will allow for pre-emptive grout sealing of these features to avoid groundwater ingress; 32 As noted in Section 7.6.1.1, the groundwater take is well within the overall management limits for Waihi Basin Aquifer Management Area. Existing water uses will therefore not be adversely affected by the proposed dewatering activities. Furthermore, due to the low permeability of the andesite rockmass, dewater activities are unlikely to have a discernible effect on the closest bore users;33 There will be no discharges to shallow groundwater or surface waters associated with activities occurring within Area 3; 34 and, As the WUG Access Tunnel is located entirely underground and the dewatering area is hydrologically separated from nearby surface waterbodies, the proposed activities within Area 3 are not inappropriate from a natural character perspective.35 In light of the above, the activities being undertaken within Area 3 are being undertaken in a manner that is consistent with outcomes sought by Objective 3.1.2 and associated policies (noting tangata whenua matters are addressed in Section 5 of the Overarching AEE). 7.6.1.3 Water Takes Objective 3.3.2 relates to the management of water allocation. The outcomes sought by this objective include ensuring: water availability meets the needs of existing and the reasonably justified and foreseeable future domestic or municipal supply requirements and animal drinking water requirements;36 30 Objective 3.1.2(a), Section 3.1, Waikato Regional Plan. 31 Objective 3.1.2(b), (c), and (m), Section 3.1, Waikato Regional Plan. 32 Objective 3.1.2 (g), Section 3.1, Waikato Regional Plan. 33 Objective 3.1.2 (e), (f) and (m), Section 3.1, Waikato Regional Plan. 34 Objective 3.1.2 (k), (o), Waikato Regional Plan. 35 Objective 3.1.2(l), Section 3.1, Waikato Regional Plan. 36 Objective 3.3.2(b), Section 3.3, Waikato Regional Plan.
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