Freshwater news

News and media releases related to our freshwater work.

Follow this news via RSS 

Environment Canterbury has released two reports by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
The first report models nutrient loading into Lake Benmore and its associated lakes, the second is a literature review of nitrate toxicity to freshwater species.

Lake Benmore water quality report

Full Report: Lake Benmore Water Quality: a modelling method to assist with assessments of nutrient loadings.

The first report will help Environment Canterbury better understand and manage water quality in the Waitaki lakes in response to land use changes.
“In the case of t

NIWA and IBM today announced a multi-million dollar partnership where NIWA will purchase one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers for use in environmental forecasting.

The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research’s (NIWA) scientific expertise is to be focused on improving the management of freshwater resources in Canterbury.

Growing community concern about the degradation of water environments boosted the number of aquatic restoration projects and subsequent scientific research, an overview of the research says.

The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has reported to the Whakatane District Council (WDC) on the results of tests into accuracy of the district council’s sunshine recording equipment.

Twenty one years after New Zealand’s most devastating cyclone struck the country, the effects of Cyclone Bola are still with the East Coast of the North Island.

In a collaborative study, echosounder surveys of the lower reservoir at ZEALANDIA, the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, show that electro-fishing and netting have successfully reduced perch numbers in the conservation safe haven.

Two decades of monitoring of river water quality by NIWA has provided important information that is helping to care for New Zealand’s iconic rivers.

With the help of a helicopter, NIWA scientists, in partnership with Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and Environment Waikato, have deployed a 2.8 metre environmental monitoring buoy into Lake Taupo – to help care for the health of New Zealand’s largest lake.

Two fossils discovered in the Ormond Valley, near Gisborne, have been identified as a mysterious extinct native fish, the grayling or upokororo. They represent the first known fossils of New Zealand grayling.

Scientists at NIWA will shortly begin investigations into what is causing blue-green algae blooms in the country’s most iconic lake.

Scientific records of at least 104,000 samples of New Zealand’s freshwater fish, invertebrates, algae and other aquatic plants are now available at the click of a mouse.

NIWA scientists have been simulating flooding in Milne Stream near Halswell to study the effect of plants along the banks of Christchurch streams. The study is a joint project between NIWA and the Christchurch City Council, and field work wraps up tomorrow (Friday, June 4).

Forty years ago anglers in New Zealand were actively encouraged to ‘kill eels on sight’. Although the attitude towards eels has changed significantly since then, it has not stopped our native longfinned eel stocks declining, mirroring the global downward trend in freshwater eel recruitment.

The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has approved $1.8 million over the next 5 years to address the declining status of New Zealand’s lakes.

Research that will help restore New Zealand’s streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries has received $9 million of funding over six years from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

NIWA and Te Papa have signed a new agreement to help improve research for management of New Zealand’s aquatic biodiversity and biosecurity.

New Zealand’s marine and freshwater environments are extremely important for our economic and social welfare, but they are under constant pressure from human uses and introductions of new invasive species.

Have we got enough fresh water? The answer is “maybe”, but certainly not all in the right places, nor of the right quality. A new national centre has just been established to help manage New Zealand’s water resources.

New tags that are attached by a tough nylon thread could finally solve the mystery of where New Zealand‘s freshwater eels spawn.

Pages

Subscribe to NIWA Science Centre News