STREAM MONITORING

The area surrounding the Pāuatahanui Inlet has seen many changes in recent years. Land-use practices and other activities affect both fresh water environments in the catchment and drainage into the Inlet, and it is important to have a long-term picture of these effects.

Between 2001 and 2012, Guardians members monitored the health of streams entering the Inlet, along with their associated habitats. Using the NIWA/Federated Farmers-developed Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit (SHMAK), members collected scientifically acceptable data on stream water health and ecology from designated sites four times a year.

In 2003, GOPI was awarded financial and practical support for stream monitoring from the Greater Wellington Take Care programme. Take Care supplied us with three kits and useful equipment such as waders.

NOTE: This particular stream monitoring programme has now been discontinued and we keenly await the development of a replacement programme that our members can take part in.