On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Freshwater quality

NIWA provides measurement, knowledge and tools to the managers of New Zealand's stream, river, lake and groundwater quality.

  • High Frequency Water Quality Monitoring Guidance

    Research Project
    A NIWA-led project to support anyone wishing to deploy a water quality sensor in rivers, lakes and estuaries.
  • Storm water drain

    Urban Runoff Quality Information System (URQIS)

    Service
    NIWA's Urban Runoff Quality Information System (URQIS) provides planners, engineers and researchers with information about the quality of stormwater from different locations and landuses and under different flow conditions.
  • Putting algae to work

    Feature story
    Can native freshwater algae help restore the mauri of local waterways? Lawrence Gullery investigates.
  • Satellites reveal NZ’s coastal health

    Media release
    For the first time, satellites have been used to track coastal water health around Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • Demand grows for NIWA’s Riparian Management Training

    Media release
    NIWA has updated and restarted a course using a riparian planning tool developed by one of its former chief scientists more than 20 years ago.
  • Waikato Dynamic Models Project Proposal

    Protection of the Awa Models enable us to predict how different uses of the land and water will impact river and stream health.
  • Bottom lining for the control of submerged lake weeds

    Bottom lining is the installation of a flexible covering over the top of beds of aquatic weeds, similar to using weed matting in home gardens. This control method is also called ‘benthic barriers’.
  • Report: Trends analysis for selected indicators of Waikato River health and wellbeing 2010-2019

    Service
    Report: Trends analysis for selected indicators of Waikato River health and wellbeing 2010-2019
  • New weapon in fight against invasive aquatic weeds

    Media release
    A combination of artificial intelligence and scientific ingenuity looks set to be the next step forward in protecting Aotearoa New Zealand’s lakes and rivers from invasive aquatic weeds.
  • NIWA in the field: Sampling the Waimakariri

    Feature story
    Environmental monitoring technician Patrick Butler has spent hours travelling between the upper and lower reaches of Canterbury’s Waimakariri and Hurunui Rivers. His mission – river water quality sampling.
  • The future shape of water

    Feature story
    Susan Pepperell looks at some of the tough decisions looming around access to freshwater and how science is helping with solutions.
  • Diquat use for submerged weeds

    Diquat is a herbicide (chemical) that has been used in New Zealand for many decades for submerged (underwater) weed control and also on agricultural crops. It is registered for freshwater use in New Zealand.