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New Zealand's Fresh Water

New Zealand has vast freshwater resources (glaciers, rivers, swamps, creeks and lakes). This topic covers water conservation, sustainability, pollution, tax, bottled water, rivers, flooding and the water rights of the Māori. SCIS no: 1894554

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Brighter future?: A tale of two rivers captures water quality debate

Brighter future?: A tale of two rivers captures water quality debate

Between 2010 and 2015, the proportion of rivers safe to swim in in Canterbury fell from 74% to 67%. Conan Young took the pulse of two South Island rivers.

Ngāi Tahu takes Crown to court for 'rangatiratanga' of its waterways

South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu is taking the Crown to court, seeking “rangatiratanga” over all freshwater in its takiwā (area).

Farming and environmental pollution

New Zealand has had a reputation for being ‘clean and green’ – a country of environmental beauty. Compared to many countries in the world, this is true. However, it’s becoming apparent that New Zea...

Water run-off weirs

Water run-off weirs

A first step in drawing up soil conservation guidelines was to measure water run-off and sediment content in different management systems. Today there is also emphasis on measuring the phosphorus a...

Water quality: Water pollution

Water pollution comes from two main sources: Point sources: single outlets, such as a sewage pipe or a drain. Non-point sources: more diffuse seepage, for instance from underground sources or from ...

A Visit from the Water Watch Dogs

A Visit from the Water Watch Dogs

Digital cartoon by Sharon Murdoch depicting a dog representing Environment Canterbury trying to convince another dog that his bowl of water is safe to drink from. Accompanying note from the cartoon...

Bottled New Zealand water

Bottled New Zealand water

A selection of images, articles and audio on bottling water in New Zealand

Iwi protest over wastewater plans

The Horowhenua District Council will continue with plans to pump wastewater into land near Poutū Marae, despite iwi opposition.

Pollution of rivers in New Zealand

Pollution of rivers in New Zealand

Images, stories, video and audio of pollution of rivers in New Zealand

Vox Pop: Do you care about clean rivers?

Vox Pop: Do you care about clean rivers?

Rivers in flood

Rivers in flood

An aerial photograph of Ngāruawāhia in July 1998 shows very clearly one of the consequences of flooding, as sediment-laden waters from the Waipā River (right) mingle with the Waikato River. Farming...

Riverbank planting

Riverbank planting

Federated Farmers Taranaki president Peter Adamski explains details of riparian (riverbank) planting to a group of dairy farmers in April 2009. Riverbank planting, complemented by fencing, maintain...

Hundreds of farmers protest water tax in Labour leader's hometown

Hundreds of farmers protest water tax in Labour leader's hometown

Hundreds of farmers and their supporters gathered in Jacinda Ardern's home town of Morrinsville today to protest Labour's proposed water tax.

River

Milford Road SH 94, Fjordland National Park - New Zealand (South Island) 2005 View On Black

Cows near Russell

Cows near Russell

35mm colour slide showing cows crossing a river near Russell

Flooding, Whakatāne

Flooding, Whakatāne

In 2004 the Whakatāne and Rangitāiki rivers in the Bay of Plenty flooded after heavy and prolonged rain, inundating 17,000 hectares of farmland. The Whakatāne River spilled into the central busines...

Crown found to be complicit in lake's pollution

The Crown's actions contributed to the pollution of Lake Horowhenua and Hōkio Stream, the Waitangi Tribunal has found.

Protests nation-wide over water rights

Protests nation-wide over water rights

A 15,000 signature petition has been presented at Parliament calling for all exports of New Zealand drinking water to stop.

Tests reveal source of Havelock North water contamination

The Havelock North drinking water supply was contaminated last year by a surface pond less than 100 metres from the bore, scientific test results obtained by RNZ News show.

Calculating water quality

Trends for the last five and ten years for river water quality data.

Water New Zealand

An organisation focusing on sustainable management of drinking water and wastewater

Kiwis waste of billions of litres of water in New Zealand.

Toxic cyanobacteria health warnings in Canterbury streams, rivers and lakes.

New Zealand’s freshwater

Find out about the science behind the state of our freshwater ecosystems

New Zealand rivers

A map of New Zealand rivers.

Māori values in protecting new Zealand rivers

Water is the essence of all life, akin to the blood of Papatuanuku (Earth mother) who supports all people, plants and wildlife.

Is it safe to swim?

During summer, Wellington’s regional, city and district councils monitor the quality of water at popular beaches and rivers each week.

Creating silt traps on lakes

Fonterra and the Department of Conservation on restoring Waikato peat lakes.

New Zealand water

New Zealand water statistics, graphs, tables and charts.

Managing water use

What is the best way to regulate water use?

Check, clean, dry

Ministry for Primary Industries on serious threats to our rivers, streams and lakes.

Didymo (rock snot) was first found in New Zealand in the Lower Waiau River in 2004.

Tuna – loss of habitat

Transformation of land use and its impacts on freshwater eels.

Recreational water

How recreational water quality affects our health.

We can't live without freshwater and neither can the fish, insects and plants that rely on clean water to survive and thrive.

NZ rivers for recreation

League table on the suitability of New Zealand rivers for contact recreation.

A short documentary film about a man, his dogs and a river worth fighting for.

The bottled-water giants

The bottled-water giants who are taking New Zealand water.

Environmentalists and forestry

Environmentalists blame forestry for East Coast floods.

Radio New Zealand’s series Water Fools? examines the state of one of our most precious resources – water.

Dairy farmers play an important role in protecting waterways.

Freshwater for life

‘Freshwater For Life’ was formed to offer independent honesty into freshwater environmental reporting in New Zealand.

Jenny Salesa vows political support for water-only schools

Associate Education and Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa says she's very supportive of water-only schools.

Students are cleaning up Otara Creek

South Auckland school pupils are proving they're willing to stand up for their local environment.

How safe is your school’s water supply?

In August 2017 some Dunedin schools had to close access to their water.

Gutters and drains lead to rivers and streams

Whether you’re a teacher or a student, you can help get your school involved with stormwater education!

Up the Creek was developed by DoC for schools to use in their local rivers and streams.

Dairy farms use the equivalent water of 60 million people

Dairy farms in New Zealand use water equivalent to the combined populations of London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Rio de Janeiro, experts say.

WAI NZ was formed to address the pollution of New Zealand-Aotearoa freshwater.

Half a ton of whitebait

Mr David states that the largest-catch, mentioned among his records was half a ton of whitebait in one day.

New Zealand water in China

New Zealand water in China

This cartoon refers to the shipment of NZ Miracle drinking water being sent back from China because the level of nitrate in the water is higher than the accepted Chinese standard of 0.005mg per lit...

Protests in Westland

Gold mining in early New Zealand depended heavily on water for alluvial gold extraction using hydraulic processes. This article reports on the opposition to water-power regulations by the governmen...

POLLUTING RIVERS. (Taranaki Daily News 22-1-1913)

Flax polluting rivers

River pollution in New Zealand is not a recent event. Over 100 years ago Acclimatisation Societies claimed that a flaxmiller in Taupiri near Ngaruawahia was polluting the Waikato river. The Aucklan...

Polluted rivers-exporting water

Polluted rivers–exporting water

The tuna in the image are addressing 2 issues currently being hotly debated in New Zealand. The first is the pollution of our rivers which raises questions about our overseas ‘clean green 100%’ ima...

Darroch, Bob, 1940- :"I don't know why they're complaining about NZ losing its GREEN image..." 12 August 2013

Waterways and rivers being polluted by animal excrement and nitrates from farms was much in the news in 2013. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reported that the country was facing...

Flooding of the Clutha River. (Clutha Leader 9-2-1906)

Flooding of the Clutha River

The Clutha River is the longest river in the South Island and also has the largest catchment. Petitioners in 1906 requested that the Government take steps to protect properties in South Molyneux, I...

THE DROUGHT. (Otago Daily Times 5-2-1907)

Drought is a result of deficit rainfall and can significantly hamper farming activities as can be seen in this article from 1907. The amount of Cocksfoot (a type of grass) gathered in Banks Peninsu...

Freshwater fish of New Zealand

Native freshwater fish of New Zealand, conservation and threats.

The human impact on rivers

Impacts on a species or a non-living element have long-term consequences for a river ecosystem.

Great New Zealand River Journeys

Great New Zealand River Journeys

Three-part series Great New Zealand River Journeys explored iconic New Zealand rivers, and introduced many local identities along the way. The Clutha River episode was hosted by McPhail and Gadsby ...

Rivers: Māori and rivers

Exploration For early Māori, rivers offered landing sites, harbours and a source of fresh water. They explored as far as possible upriver on many waterways. Tamatea’s cave on the Whanganui River, f...

The relationship between the Whanganui River and Whanganui iwi

Parliament passes a bill that makes the Whanganui River a person in the eyes of the law.

Taniwha: freshwater taniwha

Taniwha were also believed to inhabit lakes, rivers and other freshwater areas.

Dismissed as worthless, pestilent places, wetlands—where the water table is at or near the Earth’s surface—are anything but.

NZ running out of wetland areas

A report shows some areas in New Zealand are still losing wetland areas, despite 90 percent of the country's natural wetlands already being wiped out.

Find more information on this topic on EPIC. Databases recommended included: Britannica; NZ Geographic; National Geographic Kids; Gale Interactive: Science; Environmental Studies. Login maybe requ...

New Zealand experiences high rainfall, being surrounded by ocean, and has many fast-flowing rivers.

LAWA: Land Air Water Aotearoa

Contains information to support communities to use natural resources sustainably.

Dairy farming can damage New Zealand's freshwater environment.

Fish and Game field officer Stuart Sutherland holds up boulders from the bed of the Mararoa River in Southland affected by didymo.

Essential freshwater new rules and regulations

National Environmental Standards for water will prevent degradation of freshwater habitats.

Kōpūwai and the Clever Girl

This story is from Rapuwai, an ancestral iwi of Ngāi Tahu. It is set on the banks of the Mata-Au/Clutha River, in Otago.

Talking to the River : School Journal Level 3 June 2018

Explains the impact cows can have on rivers and the importance of being able to accurately measure levels of river pollution.

Wai Care is a water quality monitoring, education and action programme across the Auckland region.

Bottled water has reached its tipping point

Aotearoa contributes to ocean pollution in many ways, but possibly the most senseless is in our support for water bottling.

Impacts of hydro

Impacts of hydro-electric activities on water quality and ecosystems.

Project Twin Streams

The website of an environmental restoration project that works collaboratively to restore streams in the West Auckland region.

Maori water rights: Iwi leaders open to deal to keep it out of court

Could there be a way forward to break the deadlock over Māori water rights?

Freshwater quality decline threatens native species

A new report on the health of New Zealand's freshwater paints a bleak picture for native species and shows water quality is under threat from human activity.

Māori water rights case aims to stop water bottlers

A Waitangi Tribunal claimant hopes his High Court case will force the government into a fair process granting Māori customary rights over freshwater.

Mass poisoning led to law for new safe water national body

Improving fresh water quality in New Zealand

Six principles to ensure fresh water drinking water security.

What is Giardia?

You can get infected when you swallow Giardia parasites, for example, by drinking contaminated water. The parasites live in lakes, rivers, streams and roof water.

Change-maker — the Whanganui River

The Whanganui River is the first river in the world to be granted the same legal rights as a human being.

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