Tagged: Water quality

Note to the Havelock North Inquiry – Think Big - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Sep 26, 2016 •

• agriculture,
• Climate,
• disease,
• Drinking water,
• e coli,
• Havelock North,
• public health,
• Water quality,
• water-borne disease

Prof Alistair Woodward, A/Prof Simon Hales An Independent Inquiry is now investigating the cause of the water-borne outbreak caused by Campylobacter in Havelock North. In this blog we consider the background to this issue and argue the Inquiry must not miss the opportunity to think up-stream, on the scale of water catchments, agricultural economies and climate systems. “Alarming new … Read More

New Zealand is letting economics rule its environmental policies - Guest Work

Guest Author • Aug 23, 2016 •

• Environmental,
• environmental management,
• govrnment,
• Pollution,
• roading,
• Science and Society,
• Water quality

By Stephen Knight-Lenihan, University of Auckland Balancing the environment with development is tricky. One way for policymakers to include the value of ecosystems in development is to set limits for pollution and other environmental impacts, known as environmental bottom lines (EBLs). These can be a helpful way of embedding into an economy the value of ecosystems. They also help … Read More

Is science censored? - Mere Conjecture

Jack Auty • Aug 03, 2016 •

• academic publishing,
• botulism,
• censorship,
• gagging,
• government,
• politics,
• publishing,
• Science,
• silencing science,
• Water quality

There was a recent piece in New Zealand news about mass governmental censorship of scientists. Starting with apocalyptic images of the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident to instill fear, they painted a picture of mass governmental meddling with scientists reporting their results, with the clear insinuation that our lives could be at risk because of this censorship. To give … Read More

LAWA’s new environmental monitoring website clears up water quality data - Waiology

Waiology • Apr 08, 2014 •

• Data,
• environmental monitoring,
• Water quality

By Maree Clark and Kati Doehring The launch of LAWA (Land, Air, Water Aotearoa) last month is a significant milestone for our country’s environmental reporting. A web-based platform, LAWA displays state and trend information for more than 1100 freshwater monitoring sites throughout New Zealand in one place, and in an easy to understand format. It’s … Read More

Un-muddying the waters: Series conclusion - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 20, 2013 •

• agriculture,
• Biodiversity,
• Health,
• land use,
• modelling,
• recreation,
• Water quality

By Daniel Collins After 10 weeks and 26 articles, Waiology’s series on water quality draws to a close. We have heard from 26 different contributors from 10 different organisations. Articles spanned topics from states and trends in observational data to diverse management solutions. There were some glaring omissions, for which I apologise, but not all requests translated into articles … Read More

Better water quality won’t happen overnight … but it must happen - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 18, 2013 •

• Data,
• management,
• policy,
• Values,
• Water governance,
• Water quality

By Jenny Webster-Brown If we cannot stop ongoing water quality degradation, and effectively restore degraded water environments, we stand to lose much that we value about New Zealand and our way of life. We will lose recreational opportunities, fisheries and our reputation for primary produce from a “clean” environment. We will lose functioning ecosystems, the ecosystem services they provide … Read More

How much dairying is too much in terms of water quality? - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 17, 2013 •

• Dairy farming,
• land use change,
• modelling,
• nutrients,
• Pollution,
• Water quality

By Daniel Collins On 21 November the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, released her second report on water quality. It warned that business-as-usual dairy expansion by 2020 would leave our lakes and rivers more degraded than they are now, even with improved mitigation. I’d now like to re-cap what the report concluded, how it got there, … Read More

Impacts of climate change on water quality - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 16, 2013 •

• climate change,
• erosion,
• management,
• nutrients,
• Temperature,
• Water quality

By Daniel Collins Climate change goes beyond warmer weather and more extreme floods and droughts. Effects are expected to include changes to the water quality of our rivers and lakes as well. This has implications for the vulnerability and sensitivity of freshwater ecosystems, as well as water quality limit-setting and catchment nutrient management. These issues, and more, were discussed … Read More

Vague expectations get vague results: Freshwaters need targets - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 09, 2013 •

• community,
• limit-setting,
• Values,
• Water governance,
• water management,
• Water quality

By Mike Scarsbrook You’ll have heard this saying before. You may have even used it as an excuse when talking to your boss at the end of the year. It is equally valid in managing our water resources. If we cannot provide clarity on what we are trying to achieve, how can we expect anyone to make effective decisions … Read More

How does agriculture affect New Zealand’s water quality? - Waiology

Waiology • Dec 05, 2013 •

• agriculture,
• e coli,
• land use,
• nitrogen,
• nutrients,
• Phosphorus,
• sediment,
• Water quality

By Bob Wilcock About 40% of the land area of New Zealand is in some form of agriculture. Sheep and beef farming are the most extensive (33%) followed by dairy farming at 6%, and the remainder being horticulture and cropping. Based on a large number of comparative land use studies we have a good understanding of how agriculture affects … Read More