Freshwater Update 89, January 2023

The obvious and sometimes dramatic nature of streambank erosion suggests that it may be a significant contributor of sediment to New Zealand rivers. Despite this, there have been very few attempts to determine the relative importance of streambank erosion as a source of sediment in New Zealand catchments.

Media attention often focusses on repeated failures of reticulated wastewater networks in our larger cities.

Nutrients, sediment, and microbial contaminants are mobilized from urban and agricultural landscapes and enter streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries.