No.07 2004

Canterbury groundwater - allocation policy and the underlying science
In February 2004, Environment Canterbury announced an interim policy on limits for groundwater use in the region. The policy rests on two main principles. First, it establishes groundwater zones, each covering an area of similar hydrogeology and recharge sources.

Reasonable mixing: a challenge for planners
The Resource Management Act (sections 70 and 107) requires that any discharge to water authorised as a permitted activity or by a resource consent should not cause certain adverse effects after ‘reasonable mixing’.

Water resources in autumn 2004 (March to May 2004)
River flow
River flows for autumn were generally near normal. While parts of the Waikato produced higher flows than usual for the time of year, both Wellington/Wairarapa and Southland had much lower flows than usual, as a result of continuing low rainfalls. The average river flows for the season are a mix of generally low flows in March and April, and higher flows in May.

The state of our rivers
NIWA scientists, in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment and with assistance from 15 regional councils, have conducted the most extensive study ever of water quality in New Zealand rivers.
Distribution of water quality monitoring sites throughout New Zealand.
Effective management of water resources requires up-to-date information both on their current state and on changes through time.