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April 2017This report looks at the state and trends of water quality in urban streams, with a focus on Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Read more -
April 2017This report models the state of water quality along New Zealand’s national river network, using data measured at freshwater monitoring sites between 2009 and 2013. Read more -
April 2017This report outlines the development of a database to house scientific and cultural information on the health of Te Arawa lakes (Bay of Plenty). Read more -
February 2017This report provides an evaluation under section 32 of the Resource Management Act 1991 of the proposed amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014. Read more -
February 2017This report has been produced to test potential consequences of setting freshwater objectives for hydro scheme operations. Modelling was undertaken of a selection of various scenarios involving an increase in minimum flows in selected rivers to assess the impact of draft proposals to amend the NPS Freshwater Management on the New Zealand electricity system. Read more -
February 2017This report addresses the question, “By how much would mitigation measures decrease the proportion of time that river reaches exceed the primary contact (swimming) minimum acceptable state E. coli concentration of 540 per 100 ml?” Read more -
February 2017This report provides advice on statistical issues relevant to the 2014 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, having particular regard to its National Objectives Framework (NOF). Read more -
February 2017Sediment is an important contaminant in New Zealand freshwaters. This report presents the development of an analytical framework to empirically relate various key instream measures of sediment to catchment sediment loads. Read more -
February 2017This report is a strategic assessment of New Zealand’s freshwaters for recreational use from a human health perspective. It outlines the methods used to produce spatial predictions of E. coli and cynobacterial biovolume at unmonitored locations. Read more -
June 2016This report provides advice on possible attributes and thresholds relevant to the ecosystem health of intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons and brackish lakes, and their potential for consideration as part of the National Objectives Framework in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. Read more -
June 2016This report presents the findings of a review of national and international literature on benthic cyanobacteria and their associated toxins. Read more -
June 2016This report presents findings of a literature review of the effects of fine sediment on ecosystem health and numerical thresholds for (sediment-related) environmental state variables. Read more -
June 2016This report presents the findings of a review of continuous dissolved oxygen data in New Zealand including an assessment of observed dissolved oxygen concentrations in relation to the National Objectives Framework (point source) band thresholds. Read more -
December 2015Report produced by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research which introduces Bayesian Networks as a decision-support tool for councils and their communities to use when developing freshwater management options. Read more -
September 2015This report presents an assessment of the costs and benefits of the cultural effects that are anticipated as a result of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities 2008. Read more -
June 2015This paper includes a brief review of scholarly literature identifying critical criteria to use when running a collaborative planning process in natural resource management, and then discusses the theory in relation to current practice and understanding within regional councils. It finishes with recommendations for developing future guidance for councils considering whether to choose collaborative planning processes. Read more -
April 2015One of two technical reports that assessed the options and implications of using the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) as an attribute in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. It looked at the cause-and-effect relationships between environmental drivers and MCI scores, and the potential response of MCI to changes in catchment management. Read more -
April 2015One of two reports that assessed the options and implications of using the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) as an attribute in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. It looked at identifying potential threshold values to define numeric attribute states for MCI. Read more -
April 2015The technical advice and evidence used to inform the development of the ammonia toxicity attribute. Read more -
April 2015Statistical advice about alternative approaches to defining thresholds and sample statistics for E. coli attribute. Read more -
April 2015Advice to inform the development of nutrient and phytoplankton attributes for the trophic state aspect of ecosystem health for lakes. Read more -
April 2015Statistical advice about alternative approaches to defining sample statistics for the planktonic cyanobacteria attribute. Read more -
October 2014This report provides recommendations for new sites to improve representativeness in the New Zealand river environmental monitoring network. Read more -
July 2014This report estimates groundwater lag times for surface water tributary catchments in the Upper Waikato sub-catchment to support analysis into the implications of meeting water quality objectives, including the National Objectives Framework. Read more -
July 2014This report models nutrients and microbial indicators in the Upper Waikato sub-catchment to support analysis into the implications of meeting water quality, including the National Objectives Framework. Read more -
July 2014This report describes an economic model of the economic consequences of meeting water quality objectives in the Upper Waikato sub-catchment. Read more -
December 2013An investigation into the feasibility of using freshwater fish predictive models in national state of the environment indicators. Read more -
December 2013An assessment of the representativeness and statistical power of state of environment river monitoring sites across New Zealand. Read more -
December 2013The aim of a Composite River Condition Index for New Zealand is to combine a number of sub-indices to communicate a representative holistic picture of river condition. This report investigates three indices and discusses limitations and areas for improvement. Read more -
November 2013This technical report provides background information about temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH as potential attributes to protect the 'Ecosystem Health' value in rivers. It also provides information on regulatory approaches used internationally. Read more -
November 2013This technical report summarises the outcomes of the ‘Periphyton Science Panel’ deliberations to define a periphyton attribute for ecosystem health in rivers. Read more -
November 2013This technical report summarises the outcomes of the ‘Cyanobacteria Science Panel’ deliberations to define a secondary contact recreation cyanobacteria attributes for rivers and lakes. Read more -
November 2013This technical report summarises the outcomes of the 'Lakes Science Panel' deliberations to define a classification system and ecosystem health attributes for lakes. It also provides comparisons of monitoring data from 114 lakes with the proposed attributes. Read more -
November 2013This technical report provides evidence and advice used in setting the E. Coli attribute bands for secondary contact recreation in rivers and lakes. Read more -
November 2013This existing report was used to inform the development of the nitrate toxicity attribute. Read more -
November 2013This report summarises the work of the freshwater National Objectives Framework Reference Group, including identifying some potential bottom lines, and recommendations for further work. The group included representatives from iwi, regional councils and key stakeholder groups. Read more -
July 2013A comparison study of different predictive macroinvertebrate models. An approach is recommended and this is used to predict macroinvertebrate community condition in unmonitored reaches. Read more -
July 2013This report details the approach used to compile regional council and NIWA water quality data sets, calculate state and trends, and develop predictive models of water quality parameters. The modelling is used to predict water quality in unmonitored reaches. Read more -
December 2012This research looked at 23 case studies of collective action groups to examine their likelihood of emerging and enduring in the long-term. Read more -
December 2012This report explores the international literature on collaborative governance to identify factors that are important for people to contribute meaningfully to a successful collaborative governance process. Read more -
July 2012This is an independent review of sections 6 and 7 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and other sections related to natural hazards. Read more -
June 2012The Gap Analysis was one of four studies undertaken as part of the RMA Monitoring and Review Project. The gap analysis distilled key points from the three scoping studies to identify gaps and opportunities for designing and developing an integrated monitoring framework for the RMA. Read more -
May 2012The Stocktake of RMA Monitoring was one of four studies undertaken as part of the RMA Monitoring and Review Project. The Stocktake provided a better understanding of the processes and systems used by local and central government to monitor the RMA. Read more -
December 2011The Needs Analysis was one of four studies undertaken as part of the RMA Monitoring and Review Project. The study identified and helped us better understand what needs to be monitored under the RMA. Read more -
May 2011This report provides a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. Read more -
November 2010This report provides a national picture of current status (2005–2009) and trends in water quality of New Zealand lakes. It updates the 2006 report ‘A snapshot of lake water quality in New Zealand’. Read more -
November 2010This report presents a summary of the regional council consent data for water takes between 2009–10. The information in the report has been used to update the freshwater demand environmental indicator. Read more -
August 2010The outcome of a series of investigations over six months around major infrastructure consenting issues under the Resource Management Act and Public Works Act. Read more -
July 2010Report of the Minister for the Environment's Urban Technical Advisory Group. Read more -
June 2010The report assesses how well Integrated catchment management is working in New Zealand for managing freshwater quality. Read more