Publication Search
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June 2016This report presents the findings of research into the sufficient supply of business land in urban areas experiencing the highest population growth in New Zealand. Where issues where identified the research looked at whether the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity would address those issues. Read more -
June 2016This paper looks at planning practices for providing development capacity for housing and business needs in the United Kingdom (UK) and two Australian states, Victoria and New South Wales. 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 -
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 report analyses the economic consequences of achieving a nitrate toxicity bottom line based on the National Objectives Framework in the Hinds zone in Canterbury under a number of different policy scenarios. Read more -
November 2013This report provides an overview of the contribution and the value of water to the outputs of key economic sectors in the region. Read more -
November 2013This study evaluates the economic impacts and environmental outcomes of regional policy scenarios to reduce nutrient discharges at farm level in Southland. Read more -
November 2013This study assesses whether regional policy scenarios modelled at farm level (NZIER study) can result in water quality concentrations that can achieve national bottom lines for ecological health and human health in the Southland region. Read more -
November 2013This study identifies the non-market values (e.g. recreational, existence) associated with freshwater in Southland and provides a first step in assessing the marginal benefit of improving water quality on some of those values. Read more -
November 2013This report presents the results of the research project that looks into understanding farmers' responses to policies setting limits on the use of freshwater resources. Read more -
November 2013The case studies present an introduction to the potential mitigation costs to reduce contaminant lossess at industrial and municipal sites that are point sources of contaminants. Read more -
November 2013This summary report provides an overview of the component economic impact studies relevant to the Southland Region. Read more -
November 2013This report evaluates the potential economic impact on electricity generation arising from hypothetical altered minimum flow regimes on various rivers (used for electricity generation). 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 compiles a list of mitigation strategies for managing water quality that are currently available in New Zealand. It provides a commentary on their relative cost-effectiveness. Read more -
November 2013This report compiles a list of mitigation strategies for managing water quality that are currently available in New Zealand. It provides a commentary on their relative cost-effectiveness. 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 -
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 -
January 2012Assessment methodology developed to provide a robust urban design rating system for medium-density housing developments that can be used for different building typologies. Read more -
October 2011A history of the Fruitgrowers’ Chemical Company (FCC) at Mapua and the clean up of the site. 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 -
September 2010This report provides an assessment of the health of the Waikato River and its catchment. It recommends actions that could be undertaken to restore the river. Read more -
August 2010This report contains the findings of a survey of local authority urban design panels. The Ministry undertook the survey to gain a nationwide picture of these panels including how many panels there are and the processes they use, and to canvass views on their effectiveness. 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 -
May 2010This report is one of two prepared for the Ministry for the Environment by NIWA, which update national indicator data for river water quality in New Zealand and help provide the evidence base for policy and decision makers. Read more -
May 2010The report is a stocktake of various approaches used to manage demand for fresh water. It looks at national-level and local council initiatives and assesses how widely the initiatives are being used and their effectiveness in meeting water demand management goals. Read more -
May 2010The purpose of this report is to assist, from a science perspective, with developing knowledge about setting limits in water management. Read more