Freshwater quality

How can mining activities influence sediments in waterways?

Blooms of hazardous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in rivers, lakes and reservoirs can cause problems for both animal and human health.

Has a receding lower jaw and black spots behind the head.

How does urbanisation increase sediments in waterways?

How healthy is your stream? SHMAK - the New Zealand Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit - has been designed to help you find out.

Smelt have a distinctly forked tail and a strong cucumber smell.

A range of physical and chemical variables are measured in the NRWQN.

Links to related resources and websites

One of the most common species of freshwater fish in Aotearoa is the common bully or toitoi.

How do nutrients from wastewater treatment enter waterways?

Downloadable and printable guides on identification of common freshwater invertebrates found in New Zealand waterways and lakes.

Tuna or freshwater eels are a very significant, widely-valued, heavily-exploited, culturally iconic mahinga kai resource.