Regions’ rivers celebrated on World Rivers Day with latest data released
The last Sunday of September marks World Rivers’ Day for 60 countries, and will be recognised by Horizons Regional
Council joining its counterparts across the country in releasing their latest state and trend river data on the Land,
Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website.
World Rivers’ Day aims to highlight the value of rivers, increase public awareness and encourage stewardship of rivers
across the world. Rivers are not only essential for water supplies, but they are also home to aquatic plants and
animals, including many species native to New Zealand. Many of our rivers are also a recreational playground for anglers
and water sports.
Horizons actively works with its district and city councils, iwi, landowners, organisations and community groups for the
betterment of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region’s rivers, the Manawatu, Whanganui and Rangitikei, and their many tributaries.
From scientists, hydrologists, land management officers and rural advisors, to consent planners and monitors, policy
analysts and environmental educators - every day, staff from Horizons Regional Council work alongside their communities
to protect and enhance freshwater in this region.
Horizons natural resources and partnerships manager Dr Jon Roygard says physical parameters including water flow,
sediment load and dissolved oxygen levels, along with chemical parameters such as nitrogen and phosphorus and biological
monitoring of periphyton, invertebrate and native fish all play a part in determining water quality at any given site.
“A range of this data is captured and shared with our own website visitors and with those on the LAWA website,” says Dr
Roygard. “There they can access state and trend data for the last 10 years for rivers at a regional, catchment and site
level.
“Within the Horizons region there are no declining trends for total oxidised nitrogen and dissolved reactive phosphorus
over the 10-year period (January 2006-December 2015). Of the 26 sites tested for a trend in dissolved reactive
phosphorus 31per cent show an improving trend and 69 per cent an indeterminate trend. In the case of the 34 sites tested
for a trend in total oxidised nitrogen, 47 per cent have an improving trend and 53 per cent an indeterminate trend.
“Programmes such as the Manawatu River Leaders’ and Horowhenua Lake Accords and the Sustainable Land Use Initiative have
enabled the council to work alongside communities, local government, iwi, industry and landowners to improve water
quality. ,” says Dr Roygard.
“It’s pleasing to see the positive results of this work through our targeted science and monitoring programmes, which
include effluent management, wastewater treatment plant upgrades, environmental farm plans, riparian planting and stream
fencing.
“A site that has revealed significant improvement in the Horizons Region, and recognised with two Morgan Foundation
Riverprize awards is the Oroua River at Awahuri Bridge location, downstream of the Feilding wastewater treatment plant.
This site has improved in most parameters measured, including dissolved reactive phosphorus, bacteria (E.coli), water
clarity and turbidity.”
With thanks to Stephen Tindall, a supporter of LAWA since it launched in 2014, the Tindall Foundation sponsored the
production of 16 River of the Month videos. The Oroua River is highlighted on the LAWA site and can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IkagPNpTTs
LAWA connects the public with the environment by sharing local stories and information about the quality of New
Zealand’s lakes, rivers, beaches and air, as well as water quantity data. Regional and unitary councils have updated the
freshwater and recreational data available on the LAWA website for this weekend, so the public can find up-to-date
information for their area, including the health of rivers.
All of the river data state and trends for the Horizons Region can be viewed at www.lawa.org.nz. The regional council information that is used on the LAWA website will also contribute to a new national environmental
reporting regime being designed by the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand.
ENDS