Tagged: freshwater

“Action for Healthy Waterways”: Some big ticket actions that the Government has neglected - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Oct 31, 2019 •

• agricultural emissions,
• climate change,
• freshwater,
• greenhouse gas emissions,
• Health,
• waterways

Prof Nick Wilson, A/Prof George Thomson, A/Prof Simon Hales, Prof Michael Baker The NZ Ministry for the Environment has produced a valuable discussion document with many good ideas for improving the health of waterways in New Zealand. But there are important gaps. In this blog we consider three big-ticket items to include in an integrated strategy to improve our waterways: … Read More

Protecting Fresh Waterways in Aotearoa/NZ: The Strong Public Health Case - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Oct 17, 2019 •

• algal blooms,
• campylobacter,
• contamination,
• Drinking water,
• Flooding,
• freshwater,
• Health,
• mahinga kai,
• nitrates,
• recreation,
• renewable energy

Nick Wilson, Leah Grout, Mereana Wilson, Anja Mizdrak, Phil Shoemack, Michael Baker Protecting waterways has the benefits of: (1) protecting water from hazardous microbes; (2) minimising cancer risk and other problems from nitrates in water; (3) avoiding algal blooms that are hazardous to health; (4) protecting mahinga kai uses (cultural importance and food security); (5) facilitating safe recreational water use; … Read More

New Zealand’s urban freshwater is improving, but a major report reveals huge gaps in our knowledge - Guest Work

Guest Author • Apr 18, 2019 •

• Environment Aotearoa,
• freshwater,
• Water quality

Troy Baisden, University of Waikato Environment Aotearoa 2019, a major report released today, provides the first snapshot since 2015 of New Zealand’s environment across five “domains” – air, climate, freshwater, land and ocean. This is the first synthesis report produced under environmental reporting legislation that came into effect in 2016. Here, I’ll focus on freshwater … Read More

Six ways to improve water quality in New Zealand’s lakes and rivers - Guest Work

Guest Author • May 02, 2018 •

• contamination,
• degradation,
• ecology,
• Environment,
• freshwater,
• government,
• Havelock North,
• Lake Taupo,
• lakes,
• New Zealand,
• nutrient,
• Pollution,
• Rivers,
• streams,
• water

Troy Baisden, University of Waikato This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Two years ago, New Zealanders were shocked when contaminated drinking water sickened more than 5,000 people in the small town of Havelock North, with a population of 14,000. A government inquiry found that sheep faeces were the … Read More

Restoring the mana of the Rotorua/Te Arawa lakes - Guest Work

Guest Author • Sep 21, 2017 •

• #WaiNZ,
• freshwater,
• lakes,
• Maori,
• mātauranga,
• Rotorua,
• Rotorua/Te Arawa Lakes Program,
• water,
• Water quality

Last week, Centre of Research Excellence Te Pūnaha Matatini hosted #WaiNZ, a national conversation providing New Zealanders with an opportunity to read blog posts and other media from key influencers talking about their relationships with water. With permission, Sciblogs is re-publishing some of the blog posts here, including David Hamilton’s reflection on the successes of the Rotorua/Te Arawa Lakes Program, shared below.  Something … Read More

Te Awaroa – Voice of the River - Guest Work

Guest Author • Sep 19, 2017 •

• #WaiNZ,
• freshwater,
• Maori,
• mātauranga māori,
• reforms,
• te awaroa,
• Te Awaroa Voice of the River,
• water,
• Water quality

Last week, Centre of Research Excellence Te Pūnaha Matatini hosted #WaiNZ, a national conversation providing New Zealanders with an opportunity to read blog posts and other media from key influencers talking about their relationships with water. With permission, Sciblogs is re-publishing some of the blog posts here, starting with Dan Hikuroa‘s call to listen to the voice of the river.  … Read More

The Beginner’s Guide to Freshwater Policy in NZ - Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Brendan Moyle • Jun 01, 2017 •

• Clean Water Package,
• e coli,
• freshwater,
• National Policy on Freshwater,
• nps-fm 2014,
• Resource Management Act,
• swimmability

Introduction Freshwater policy in New Zealand is undergoing a lot of debate.   Unfortunately with all the hyperbole and claims, it can be difficult to determine what it is that is being debated.  With the creation of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management (NPS-FM for those that prefer abbreviations), Central Government has taken on a more active role.  This … Read More

In search of salmon - Field Work

Guest Author • Dec 26, 2016 •

• ecology,
• fishing,
• freshwater,
• salmon

Phil Jellyman is jet boating up the Waimakariri River in Canterbury – not because it’s a fun thing to do but in search of salmon. The NIWA freshwater fish ecologist is planning to implant acoustic tags on the fish to find out whether irrigation schemes are affecting their migration to spawning grounds up river. Along the river he will install … Read More

Is the Waikato River really one of the cleanest rivers in the world? - Guest Work

Guest Author • Nov 01, 2016 •

• e coli,
• freshwater,
• nitrates,
• Waikato River,
• Water quality,
• waterways

In response to recent claims in the media, New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society (NZFSS) president Dr Marc Schallenberg, on behalf of the society, refutes recent comments about the condition of the Waikato River: The Background Recently, Jacqueline Rowarth (professor of agribusiness at the University of Waikato and newly appointed Chief Scientist for the Environmental Protection Authority) declared that the Waikato River … Read More

Part 5: Water runs downhill - The Nature of Things

Marie Brown • Feb 26, 2016 •

• conservation,
• freshwater,
• policy,
• Whitebait

New Zealand’s freshwater bodies are as revered as they are imperiled. Despite decades of law devoted to protecting freshwater ecosystems and safeguarding water quality in some way or other, the decline in freshwater biodiversity is startling. Lakes, wetlands, estuaries, streams and rivers are home to a pretty incredible array of wildlife that is in deep trouble. While some effort … Read More