Report: TR 2006/34

Author: Paul Smith

Abstract

The year 2005 report follows the format of the previous data report (Smith, 2005), with the addition of the reporting of a microbiological survey conducted in the summer of 2004/2005, and the reporting of a trace metal survey conducted during 2005.

To effectively manage water quality, the Waikato River monitoring programme addresses the following questions:

1. What is the quality of the water now?
2. Why is the water of the observed level of quality?
3. Is water quality getting better or worse? If so - what makes it change?
4. How can we improve the quality, ecological health and integrity of the Waikato River?

The monitoring information allows Environment Waikato to:

• determine compliance with classification standards
• define the suitability of the resource for various beneficial uses and values of the water
• monitor the impact of major discrete point source discharges on water quality
• monitor the impacts of diffuse discharges on water quality
• provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of resource management measures.

This dataset is invaluable for the evaluation of the Waikato River: its state, the pressures on it and its response to these pressures. We need to continue to gather comprehensive, reliable and good quality data on the Waikato River to protect and enhance its values into the future.

This report is the fourteenth since the re-design of the Waikato River Monitoring Programme (WARIMP) implemented in 1989.

Waikato River Quality Monitoring Programme: Data Report 2005 [PDF, 1 MB]