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Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit

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

This kit enables non-scientists to collect consistent, scientifically valid information from small rural streams and to use that information to make assessments of stream health.

Copyright © 2002 NIWA in association with NZ Landcare Trust
P. O. Box 16269 Christchurch

Summary of SHMAK system

A summary of what the SHMAK kit comprises, and various uses for it.

Identification and e-guide

A guide on identification of common freshwater invertebrates found in New Zealand waterways and lakes.

SHMAK manual

The SHMAK manual can be viewed, by chapter, by clicking on the links below. Alternatively, you can download and use the SHMAK manual PDF.

SHMAK PAK software

SHMAK PAK will provide an electronic database for the storage of stream data collected with SHMAK. It will also calculate the scores used in the assessment of stream health and will produce graphs that can be printed out.

SHMAK training

These notes provide ideas and material to assist facilitators and trainers working with groups and individuals who are interested in setting up stream monitoring using the SHMAK methodology.

Contact Us

Contact the authors if you are having trouble finding assistance locally, or you have feedback for them about the manual or the equipment.

Links to related sites

Links to related sites
Members of the Silverstream Restoration Group (Upper Hutt) monitoring the type and amount of periphyton (algae) growing in the Mawaihakona Stream. [Allen Sheppard]
Poor water quality compounds stream straightening. [NIWA]