Publication Search
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December 2019The Ministry commissioned this report to improve our understanding of how geospatial information can inform meaningful engagement with iwi/hapū. Read more -
December 2019This guide provides information for people who import, manufacture, or sell products covered by New Zealand’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Read more -
November 2019This report by Honorary Professor Peter Skelton concerns the management and allocation of freshwater in the Otago region. It contains recommendations for the Minister for the Environment on improving freshwater management under the Resource Management Act 1991. Read more -
November 2019This report describes national data sets related to groundwater flux estimation, including the methodologies to undertake this work and resultant digital data sets. Read more -
November 2019This report reviews groundwater models in New Zealand. Read more -
November 2019This report describes an update of New Zealand's depth to hydrogeological basement map, including the methodology used to undertake this work and the resultant digital data sets. Read more -
November 2019This report describes the development of a Hydrogeological-Unit Map for New Zealand, which provides a classification of geological units in terms of their importance for groundwater flow and storage in an ArcGIS seamless digital map. Read more -
November 2019This report presents the approach and results of groundwater use in New Zealand. Read more -
October 2019This NIWA consultant report provides analysis of state and trends in a number of water quality variables in urban rivers and streams in New Zealand. Read more -
September 2019This draft NIWA report provides the first attempt to develop bottom-line thresholds for suspended and deposited sediment based on ecological responses for New Zealand rivers and streams. Read more -
September 2019This report describes hydrological modelling that estimates the suspended sediment load reductions required to meet proposed suspended sediment attribute bottom lines. Read more -
September 2019This report provides a cost-benefit assessment of potential interventions to meet proposed suspended sediment attribute bottom lines. Read more -
September 2019This literature review assesses the primary sources of variability in sediment generation in an urban environment and the impact of urban development on sediment discharges in the short and long term. Read more -
September 2019This report builds upon the findings of the Sediment attributes and urban development (report 1) literature review - see link in Related publications below. Read more -
September 2019This report analyses water quality data to assess the effect of urban development on in-stream indicators of suspended fine sediment, primarily turbidity and total suspsended sediment. Read more -
September 2019This report describes modelling of several urban development scenarios and their variable effect on sediment yield during construction. Read more -
September 2019This report describes remote sensing imagery analysis that identifies areas of winter forage cropping and evaluates devegetation that results from winter grazing. Read more -
September 2019This report reviews New Zealand literature on the effects of environmental degradation of freshwater ecosystems on social, cultural, environmental, and economic outcomes in New Zealand. Read more -
September 2019This report provides a review of alternative, and potentially complementary, frameworks for the integrated assessment of the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural effects of environmental management. Read more -
September 2019This is the report of the Science and Technical Advisory Group (STAG), an advisory group to the Essential Freshwater programme. This report highlights a strong focus by the Science and Technical Advisory Group on the health of the environment and the waterbody. Its content and recommendations provide additional metrics for the national freshwater management framework to strengthen the relationship between this national direction and ecosystem health and functioning. Read more -
September 2019The report by the Freshwater Leaders Group notes that to improve water quality, major changes are needed to the way that we as a country protect and manage our land and water. Read more -
September 2019This report by the Regional Sector Water Subgroup contributes the views and expeiences of regional councils to the Essential Freshwater programme. The group's advice focusses on likely impacts and practical implementation issues relating to proposed policies. Read more -
September 2019This report sets out an economic analysis of modelled assessments of four potential options for managing the effects of farming on freshwater. Read more -
September 2019This report sets out the results of a modelling exercise that assessed the potential economic impacts of meeting a range of contaminant loads and attributes states for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in the Ruamahanga catchment in Wairarapa. Read more -
September 2019As part of the Essential Freshwater programme, the Government is considering changes to nitrogen and phosphorus regulations. This study aimed to determine the impact of the proposed new nitrogen regulation. Read more -
September 2019This report examines how potential rules in a national environmental standard would impact the agricultural sector in terms of farm economics, and nitrogen and phosphorus discharges to water. Read more -
September 2019This data report provides an annual data picture of brassica grown in New Zealand. Read more -
September 2019This report prepared by MRCagney informs work on understanding and measuring the wider costs and benefits of urban development under the Urban Growth Agenda. Read more -
September 2019This report summarises existing literature reviews on the effectiveness of erosion and sediment control interventions for agriculture and reviews factors of variation in their effectiveness. Read more -
September 2019This report from ESR describes the methodology and findings of an assessment of changes in levels of compliance with the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand (DWSNZ) from 2005 to July 2017. Read more -
September 2019This report describes the final stage of a multi-year research programme to develop thresholds for in-stream suspended and deposited sediment. Read more -
September 2019This report by Kāhui Wai Māori sets out recommendations for our nation to journey together in implementing a managed transitoin to a new system of care and respect for water. Read more -
August 2019This Beca report presents a review and analysis of the main urban zoning provisions within district plans for selected ‘high-growth’ councils. Read more -
July 2019This report describes the methodology and findings of an assessment of the potential impacts of national implementation of drinking water source protection zones. Read more -
July 2019This report provides guidelines for the delineation of drinking water source protection zones including specifications for a ‘default’ national approach. Read more -
May 2019This report analyses environmental conditions that cause the growth of periphyton in streams and rivers. Read more -
May 2019This report outlines the different potential approaches for characterising the pressure created by dams on the flow regime of rivers and streams. Read more -
May 2019This report characterises the pressure on surface water flows from actual water takes for the Horizons (Manawatu-Wanganui) and Greater Wellington regions in the lower half of the North Island. Read more -
May 2019This report updates previously published statistics on water consented to be taken from surface and groundwater sources for consumptive uses (such as irrigation or drinking water). Read more -
May 2019This report refines and updates 2011 modelling on suspended sediment loads across New Zealand with new and longer calibration datasets and updated predictors. Read more -
May 2019This report analyses seasonal patterns in river and lake water quality across New Zealand, using data from 2013–2017. Read more -
May 2019This report presents and tests a range of macroinvertebrate metrics for New Zealand streams and rivers that are sensitive to changes in sediment and periphyton. Read more -
May 2019This report develops a model predicting the reference state for stream macroinvertebrates across New Zealand. Read more -
May 2019This report presents and tests a macroinvertebrate metric for New Zealand streams and rivers that is sensitive to changes in flow. Read more -
May 2019This report reviews how mechanistic (process-based) models simulate periphyton biomass using algorithms describing known growth and loss processes based on nutrients, light, temperature, grazing, and physical factors. Read more -
May 2019This report provides information on the susceptibility to eutrophication of coastal water bodies to nutrient loads from fresh water. Read more -
May 2019This report provides information to help interpret trends in water quality of New Zealand’s lakes and rivers. Read more -
May 2019This report summarises a workshop held to gather feedback on the ‘Interim New Zealand Guidelines for Cyanobacteria in Recreational Fresh Waters’. Read more -
May 2019This report examines whether measures of the macroinvertebrate community can provide information on the health of the trout populations that feed on them, based on existing data. Read more -
May 2019This report recommends river habitat modification indicators that can be used for national environmental reporting under the Environmental Reporting Act. Read more