Freshwater

We provide public information on river, lake, and groundwater conditions across New Zealand including freshwater quantity and quality.

Rachel Crawford and Paul Franklin inspecting a fish passage on the Waikato River.

Freshwater and Estuaries Update

A seasonal review and outlook for New Zealand's water resources, and an update on NIWA's freshwater research

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    Reducing the impact on Hawke’s Bay’s marine environment

    News article
    19 December 2022
    A study investigating the level of change needed to improve the state of Hawke’s Bay’s marine environment highlights the magnitude and frequency of interventions required for the seafloor ecosystem to recover.
    Freshwater
    Benthic habitats

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    eDNA research and services

    Service
    NIWA is active in a broad range of eDNA topics and can provide expert advice on applications and expected outcomes.
    Coasts
    Estuaries
    Environmental Information

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    Putting algae to work

    Feature story
    15 December 2022
    Can native freshwater algae help restore the mauri of local waterways? Lawrence Gullery investigates.
    Algae
    Freshwater quality
    Freshwater restoration

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    Climate change experts tour New Zealand’s coastal wetlands

    Media release
    03 November 2022
    A group of international scientists are visiting some of New Zealand’s most significant coastal wetlands as part of a five-year research project to help the country adapt and prepare for sea-level rise.
    Climate change
    Coasts
    Estuaries

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    Technology provides views of life in remote habitats

    Media release
    25 October 2022
    Aotearoa-New Zealand’s marine area covers 167,650 square kilometres presenting a staggering distribution of climates, from subtropical to subantarctic waters, to understand and manage.
    Coasts
    Estuaries
    Invasive species

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    Understanding the threat of sea level rise to NZ’s wetlands

    Media release
    07 October 2022
    Specialised monitoring equipment has been installed in Bay of Plenty estuaries to understand whether our coastal wetlands can survive the threat of inevitable sea-level rise.
    Coasts
    Estuaries
    Oceans

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    Riparian Buffer Design Guide

    This guide discusses design principles and provides high-level information about the likely performance of riparian buffers.
    Agriculture
    Rivers

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    Impact of new energy efficient streetlights on insects revealed

    Media release
    28 September 2022
    New energy efficient streetlights are playing a major role in influencing insect behaviour, says NIWA.
    Freshwater
    Renewable energy

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    Satellites reveal NZ’s coastal health

    Media release
    21 September 2022
    For the first time, satellites have been used to track coastal water health around Aotearoa New Zealand.
    Coasts
    Freshwater quality
    Satellite remote sensing

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    Investigating ecological impacts on freshwater insects from LED streetlight conversions

    Research Project
    Little is known what impact artificial streetlights have on flying freshwater insects which are integral to our waterway ecosystems.
    Freshwater
    Freshwater pollution

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    IrriSET - Irrigation Strategy Evaluation Tool

    IrriSET helps farmers to understand the economic viability and environmental efficiency of various irrigation strategies.
    Agriculture

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    Native freshwater and saltwater plant cultivation booklets

    These booklets help provide guidance on the cultivation and restoration of native submerged macrophytes.
    Freshwater
    Freshwater restoration