No.01 2002

A centre for collaboration
Water is New Zealand’s lifeblood. We need fresh water for drinking, washing, growing food, making electricity, and much, much more. We enjoy water as a focus for picnicking and fishing and just somewhere nice to be. But we are not alone in our need for water. New Zealand’s rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater systems are also home to a wonderful variety of ecological communities.
New Zealand faces some complex questions about water resources. Will there be shortages? Do we use water wisely?

What effects might El Niño have this year?
There are indications that an El Niño will develop by spring. Many of the usual signs for El Niño are now visible in the warming waters of the Pacific Ocean, according to NIWA’s National Climate Centre.
During past El Niño events New Zealand has experienced enhanced southwesterly and westerly weather conditions, with low pressure systems centred below the country.

Water policy and the Ministry for the Environment
The manager of any business requires good information about the resources for which they are responsible. The first conclusion of the 1997 report on the State of New Zealand’s Environment was that “New Zealand’s environmental information needs considerable upgrading if the state of the nation’s environment is to be accurately described and trends detected.” In response, the Government initiated the Environmental Performance Indicators Programme.

Water resources in summer 2001–02
River flow
River flows for much of New Zealand were above normal, except for the west and south of the South Island. The high flows were caused by the unusually wet, cool summer.
Water clarity
Water clarity was well below normal in many rivers, often as a result of the extra sediment carried by unusually high river flows. Last summer one-third of sites met the recommended level for safe swimming (>1.6 m), whereas typically two-thirds of sites meet this level.