Publication Search
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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 -
March 2008This report provides scientific guidelines for the selection of methods to determine ecological flows and water levels for rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater resources. 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 -
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 -
December 2017This report outlines a national sampling plan for the 8-km Grid to help multiple agencies coordinate the monitoring they undertake on the Grid. Read more -
April 2020This report by Cawthron collates and analyses regional council river and stream monitoring data, including measures of fine deposited sediment and habitat quality. 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 -
May 2017This report identifies a small group of “atypical” effects-based district and unitary plans and assesses how different these are from other district plans. Read more -
August 2003This technical report provides information on the sources of fine particles (PM10 – particles less then 10 microns in diameter) in New Zealand. Read more -
May 2020This report summarises work to evaluate load reductions required to meet the new National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management's nutrient-related bottom lines. 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 -
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 -
August 2017The Ministry commissioned this report to analyse how regional, unitary and district councils are managing biodiversity through planning documents under the Resource Management Act. Read more -
May 2001This project report aimed to clarify problems in existing water allocation practice, provide suggestions at the strategic level for improvement, and identify roles and responsibilities. Read more -
December 2020This report surveyed international frameworks, identified important lessons for outcome-based environmental management, and helps clarify what setting environmental limits and targets will require. Read more -
May 2020This AgResearch report presents insights on the potential nature of social impacts emerging from freshwater policy changes based on past social impact assessments (SIAs). 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 -
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 -
April 2017This report outlines the development of a pressure-state-impact model to predict the effect of water abstractions on river flows, using Canterbury as a case study. Read more -
April 2017This report presents trends in the abundance of freshwater species between 1977 and 2015 based on standardised data from the New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database. 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 -
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 -
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 -
May 2020This report by Perrin Ag estimates the on-farm economic impact of a selection of measures to mitigate the effect of farming on freshwater ecosystem health. Read more -
December 2003This report provides advice on managing algal blooms and other symptoms of poor water quality in Rotorua and Rotoiti lakes and the causes of those problems. 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 -
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 -
September 2017This report investigates how the structure, format, and presentation of RMA plans impact the ability of lay people to navigate and understand the plan provisions. 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 2018This report has two sections: Section 1, facilitated by Te Ātiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust, describes the history and cultural values associated with the Waitohi and Waikawa streams. Section 2, an interim report by the Marlborough District Council, addresses Water Quality in the Waitohi and Waikawa catchments. This work will be used to inform future work that both parties can undertake in these catchments. 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 -
September 2020An evaluation report and compilation spreadsheet of available tools, databases and resources relating to the distribution of threatened freshwater species and their habitats in New Zealand. Read more -
April 2010This report informs the ‘environmental flows and water measuring’ and ‘water quality limits’ projects commissioned as part of the New Start for Fresh Water programme in 2009. Read more -
May 2017This report provides an overview of the types of coastal planning provisions around the country and presents ideas for possible common content in a national planning standard. 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 provides an evaluation under section 32 of the Resource Management Act 1991 of the proposed amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2011. Read more -
May 2017This report examines how national policy statements on energy and electricity have been implemented and how they could be incorporated into the proposed National Planning Standards. 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 -
June 2011This report contains a summary of the 284 submissions received on options contained in the discussion document Building Competitive Cities: Reform of the urban and infrastructure planning system. Read more -
April 2017This report presents information on potential environmental indicators of water allocation: rates of flow take and volumes of flow take; and their cumulative impacts on river flows. Read more -
January 2004This report, commissioned as part of the Water Programme of Action, describes potential opportunities for using economic instruments to manage the impacts of land use on water quality. Read more -
October 2013This report provides analysis of the judgements and sentencing outcomes of 429 prosecutions under the Resource Management Act undertaken during the period 1 July 2008 to 30 September 2012. Read more -
July 2008The Ministry commissioned this report to better understand the time and costs associated with plan changes processed under the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). 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 -
December 2008This report, prepared by Brown and Pemberton Planning Group Limited, updates previous research on the timeframes for developing policy statements and plans under the Resource Management Act (RMA). 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 2009As part of its National Environmental Reporting Programme, the Ministry for the Environment has compiled monitoring results for recreational water quality for six summers (2003 to 2009). 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 -
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 -
On tap?: Attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions of household water use – informing demand managementJuly 2009This report summarises research on household water use. It presents existing and new consumer research on attitudes to water, population segmentations, behaviours, and barriers and incentives to action. Read more