Rivers
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Two emerging NIWA scientists in the sediment processes team were awarded Marsden Fund Fast-Start research grants in the 2018 funding round.
Looking after water in our towns and cities
The Urban Water Principles report released this month is a first step in tackling some big issues in a collaborative way.
Community project inspires scientists
A project to restore a stream catchment in Kaikōura—damaged in the 2016 earthquake—is being described as inspirational by NIWA scientists.
New collaborative project on productive riparian buffers
NIWA is working with DairyNZ, Regional Councils and farmers on a new project to evaluate riparian planting options that have economic as well as environmental benefits. The project is co-funded by the Sustainable Farming Fund. Read the article Research into productive riparian buffers on the DairyNZ website, or contact Dr Fleur Matheson.
‘Swimmability’ of New Zealand rivers
Swimming is a popular activity in Aotearoa-New Zealand. Two attributes of waters that strongly affect aesthetic quality and safety for swimming are visual clarity and faecal contamination. It turns out that these two attributes are fairly well-correlated (inversely) in New Zealand rivers, such that (easily seen) visual clarity provides a rough-but-useful guide to (unseen) microbial quality.
The value of archived biological collections: understanding the lake snow invasion
The diatom (Lindavia intermedia) that causes lake snow—nuisance slime in clean-water lakes that ruins angling and can block water intakes—was apparently introduced to New Zealand shortly before 2002, but was widespread by 2005.
Use of stable isotopes in rainfall and rivers to explain pathways and speed of water movement through catchments
Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in rainfall and rivers can provide a powerful tool to explain the pathways and speed of water movement through catchments.
A clearer look at Te Waikoropupū Springs
Te Waikoropupū Springs near Takaka are the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand, the largest cold-water springs in the Southern Hemisphere, and are nationally and internationally valued for their remarkable colour and clarity.
Water temperature and clarity - retrospective information
A review of some of the water resources information collected by NIWA across New Zealand.
How clean are our rivers?
Fiona Proffitt investigates the state of New Zealand's freshwater resources and the solutions science can offer.
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Coastal and Estuarine Physical Processes Scientist