Freshwater

We've developed conceptual models for each of our study species. These models describe our current understanding of the factors influencing their distribution and abundance in the Te Arawa lakes, as well as the relationships between the various factors.

NIWA and the Te Arawa Lakes Trust have developed a sustainable management framework for customary fisheries in Te Arawa lakes, as part of a joint 3 year research programme.

A regular newsletter that includes a seasonal review and outlook for New Zealand's water resources, and an update on some of NIWA's freshwater research.

These guidelines outline a recommended minimum set of methods for a community group interested in following habitat changes in an estuary.

Ahrens-PAH bioavailability in estuarine sediments 
Ahrens-UV-enhanced PAH toxicity 
Bluett-Atmospheric transport of vehicle contaminants 
Clearwater-Metal uptake through aquatic foodwebs 
Depree-PAH binding to stream dissolved organic matter 
Depree-PAH distribution in estuarine sediments 
Elliott-Urban stream hydrology 
Golding-Caged invertebrate responses to stream water quality 
Golding-Invertebrate uptake of fine particulate metals 
Hickey-Bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity 
Hickey-Habitat and stress responses 
Mathieson-Zinc con

Accumulation in estuaries (Bruce) 
Chemical contamination (Mike) 
Insitucages (Lisa) 
Invertebrate mesocosms (Chris) 
Managing flows (Sandy) 
Metal speciation (Kerry) 
Organics in urban streams (Geoff) 
Overview of SWAT programme (Mike) 
PAH in NZ estuaries (Geoff) 
Stream stability tools (Bob S) 
Testing metal toxicity in estuaries (David) 
Transport effects (Gerda) 
Vegetated soil systems (Julie) 
What is sustainable habitat (Mike) 
Back to S.W.A.T. page

Where an online version is not available, a PDF is provided. Use your browser’s Back button to return to this page.
Bell, R.; Green, M.; Hume, T.; Gorman, R. (2000). What regulates sedimentation in estuaries? Water & Atmosphere 8(4): 13–16.
Davies-Colley, R.; Nagels, J.; Donnison, A.; Muirhead, R. (2004). Flood flushing of bugs in agricultural streams. Water & Atmosphere 12(2): 18–20.
Green, M. (2003.) The dance of the turbid fringe. Water & Atmosphere 11(2): 20–21.
Green, M.; Ellis, J.; Schwarz, A.-M.; Lind, D.; Bluck, B. (2003).

The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) dictates how we are to manage our physical environment, including the coast and estuaries.

A model is a representation of a “real thing”. Usually, the model is simpler in some or many ways than the real thing; the model simulates the behaviour of the real thing; and the model can be used to predict the future behaviour of the real thing.

Monitoring is often an expensive exercise, but it does not have to be.

Estuaries are more than just the mudflats that we cross on the way to the beach. Of course they have intrinsic value – what natural environment doesn’t? – but they also provide us humans with a range of ecological services that help to sustain the quality of our environment, and with amenities that we all enjoy, and sometimes profit from.

An estuary is a semi-enclosed embayment, with a free connection to the sea at one end and a freshwater supply at the other, and within which fresh and salty waters mix.