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Stream monitoring
Our Activities » Stream monitoring
Stream monitoring
Why and how do we monitor the streams?
The area surrounding the Pauatahanui Inlet has seen many changes in recent years. Land-use practices and other
Since late 2001, Guardians have been monitoring the health of streams entering the Inlet, along with their associated habitats. Thanks to a kit developed jointly by NIWA and Federated Farmers, the work is easily carried out by volunteers. Using the Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit (SHMAK), GOPI volunteers collect scientifically acceptable data on stream water health and ecology from designated sites four times a year.
The results of each session are saved electronically in specially designed SHMAK software (see image) and sent to the Greater Wellington Regional Council to add to its regional SHMAK user database.
In 2003, GOPI was awarded financial and practical support for stream monitoring from the Greater Wellington Take Care programme. Take Care has supplied us with three kits and useful equipment such as waders |
We monitor Duck Creek (1 site), Horokiri Stream (2 sites), Pauatahanui Stream (2 sites) and, since 2006, the Kakaho Stream (1 site). A team of enthusiastic and committed volunteers from the local community assesses each site along a designated 10-metre stretch. These seasonal assessments are done in April, July, October and January. Broad land-use types within these four catchments include urban, rural (farm land, nature reserves, parks, lifestyle blocks), forestry and recreation (golf courses, walking, picnics). The table below shows the details of each site. Site Name Stream Catchment Site Location Land-use Type GOPI 1 Duck Creek (downstream) Former Whitby Golf Course, near hole 12 GOPI 2 Duck Creek (upstream) - NB This site is no longer monitored. Former Whitby Golf Course, near hole 6 GOPI 3 Horokiri Stream (upstream) Battle Hill Forest Park Rural GOPI 4 Horokiri Stream (downstream) Rural GOPI 5 Kakaho Stream Gray's Farm GOPI 6 Pauatahanui Stream (upstream) Moonshine Stream GOPI 7 Pauatahanui Stream (downstream)
Which streams do we monitor?
Urban
Recreation
Urban
Recreation
Forestry
Recreation
235A Paekakariki Hill Road
Rural
Rural
Behind Judgeford Road Garden Centre
Rural
Forestry
You can help with this programme.
We can train you to become a volunteer in one session. Please contact:
Ian Thompson, tel. 2331221, bilthompson@paradise.net.nz.
Find out more about the Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit and Greater Wellington's environmental
monitoring programme.