ORC is responsible for managing Otago’s surface water resources. We undertake a long-term State of the Environment (SoE) monitoring programme which measures the state and trends in water quality across an extensive network of river and lake sites.
Our annual reports are based on the latest 5 years of monitoring data and summarise the current state of water quality across the region.
Water quality and ecological health of rivers in the Manuherikia catchment
North and Coastal Otago Summary Report July 2009 - June 2010
Taieri River Summary Report July 2009 - June 2010
Clutha catchment Summary Report July 2009 - June 2010
Habitat Assessment Summary 2010
Aquatic Invertebrate Summary 2010
Otago estuaries State of the environment report 2009
Recreational water quality Annual Monitoring Summary 2009/10
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North and Coastal Otago Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
Taieri River Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
Clutha River Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
Lake water quality Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
Estuary water quality Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
Recreational water quality Annual Monitoring Summary 2006/07
May 2023
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December 2019
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NIWA was engaged by Otago Regional Council (ORC) to provide an assessment of selected water quality and ecological data for the Manuherikia River catchment in Central Otago. This study confirms that the information analysed provides an effective benchmark against which future ecological condition assessments of catchments can be compared.
June 2017
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This study found that water quality within the Waiwera catchment shows elevated concentrations of nutrients and bacteria that generally exceed the Schedule 15 limits/targets set out in Otago’s Regional Plan: Water. These elevated nutrient concentrations are sufficient to cause prolific algae growth. No discernible trends were found in the catchment’s State of Environment monitoring data set (2006 to 2017), other than the concentration of total phosphorus declined significantly during this period. An accumulation of fine sediment within the catchment’s waterways appears to be behind the dramatic reductions in abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrate communities and fish populations, particularly in the mainstem of the Waiwera River. Appropriate mitigation measures need to be implemented to protect the river from further degradation and to aid recovery.
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April 2016
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The Otago Regional Council is responsible for managing Otago’s groundwater and surface-water resources. ORC carries out regular and extensive long-term monitoring as part of its State of the Environment (SoE) programme and carried out a targeted, short-term monitoring investigation of the Cardrona River in 2004-2005. This study repeated this work ten years later.
November 2014
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Lake Tuakitoto is a large freshwater wetland situated in the lower Clutha River catchment in South Otago. Much of the catchment consists of intensively grazed pasture with some scrub, and plantation forestry. There has been intensification of land use in the catchment which has the potential to affect water quality in the lower part of Lovells Creek and Frasers Stream.
January 2016
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The Lindis River is a major tributary of the upper Clutha River. There is heavy demand for water abstraction in the lower catchment. This report updates earlier studies to review the impact of changes in land use on the river catchment.
November 2014
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The Shag River/Waihemo is a small river flowing from the slopes of Kakanui Peak and flowing in a south-easterly direction past the township of Palmerston before entering the Pacific Ocean just south of Shag Point/Matakaea. Most of the catchment consists of agriculture and forestry with some short-rotation cropping in the lower catchment. The objectives of this report are to: • Provide a baseline of water quality in the Shag River/Waihemo catchment, including at unimpacted (reference) sites, • Compare water quality in the Shag River/Waihemo catchment to water quality limits set out in Plan Change 6A, • Identify any patterns in water quality in the Shag River/Waihemo catchment and to relate these to land-use activities, where possible
November 2013
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This study examines how water quality has changed at a range of locations in the catchment over the past 12 years, and how present water quality compares with Plan Change 6A limits.
October 2013
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The objectives of this report are to: • provide a baseline of water quality in the Waianakarua River catchment, including at unimpacted (reference) sites • compare water quality in the Waianakarua catchment to water quality standards set out in plan change 6A • identify any patterns in water quality in the Waianakarua catchment and to relate these to land-use activities, where possible.
November 2012
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The Tokomairiro catchment is dominated by intensive farming. The monitoring programme which ran from August 2011 to April 2012 sought to identify pollution hotspots, and appropriate strategies to better manage water quality.
June 2013
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The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is responsible for managing Otago’s groundwater and surface-water resources. Although the ORC carries out regular and extensive long-term water quality monitoring as part of its State of Environment (SOE) programme, it has not carried out a targeted short-term monitoring investigation in the Kakanui River catchment.
September 2012
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This report provides the results from a more detailed, short-term investigation carried out in the Upper Taieri River catchment.
November 2011
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This report provides the results from one of the more detailed investigations carried out on water quality in the Catlins area.
April 2011
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This report provides the results from one of these more detailed investigations carried out in the Pomahaka River catchment. The investigation was implemented to more accurately understand how different land-uses can affect water quality and in-stream ecological values.
September 2011
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The Otago Regional Council (ORC) carries out regular water quality monitoring as part of its State of Environment programme, as well as short-term targeted water quality monitoring programmes. This report provides the results from a more detailed, short-term investigation carried out in the Manuherikia River catchment between 2009 and 2011.
March 2011
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In December 2008, the Otago Regional Council (ORC) initiated an intensive investigation into water quality and ecological health in the Pomahaka River catchment, south-west Otago.
May 2010
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ORC conducted a 12-month water quality sampling programme, with the aim of getting a better understanding of the effects of land use on water quality in the Pomahaka catchment.
November 2009
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This report provides the results from short-term studies, which monitored the health of five high country lakes ( Hayes, Johnson, Onslow, Wakatipu, and Wanaka). ORC and local communities can use this information to work together to ensure the wellbeing of these five important lakes.
August 2008
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To help protect water quality, ORCcarries out longterm water quality monitoring as part of a State of the Environment programme. To supplement this information, targeted and detailed short-term monitoring programmes are also implemented in some catchments. This report provides the results from more detailed investigations carried out in three catchments: Water of Leith, Kaikorai Stream, Waitati River and Carey’s Creek
May 2006
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This report outlines results of a surface water quality monitoring programme carried out in tributaries of the Manuherikia, Taieri, and Waitaki rivers.
July 2007
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This report has been written to summarise the biology, ecology, and impacts of didymo in the Otago context. It presents the results of a monitoring programme on the Fraser River, and photographic monitoring studies from the Clutha River/Mata-Au, Hawea, and Fraser Rivers.
May 2006
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A monthly water quality monitoring programme was carried out between September 2005 and March 2006 at six sites on the Cardrona River and nine sites on the Lindis River. Water was tested for a range of physico-chemical and microbiological parameters. This report provides more detailed information than that gathered for the State of Environment programme, which has been undertaken since the late 1980's.
May 2005
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This report presents the results and findings of a water quality monitoring programme undertaken in the Island Stream and Waiareka Creek catchments between September 2004 and March 2005.
June 2004
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This report presents the results and findings of three water quality monitoring programmes undertaken in the Waipahi and Pomahaka catchments between April 2000 and May 2003.
March 2005
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A two-year trophic level investigation of Lakes Waipori and Waihola was carried out between October 2002 and October 2004 to gain a better understanding of the two lakes' nutrient status.
March 2004
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This report presents the results and findings of the 12-month Lower Taieri monitoring programme, including routine state of the environmental biological monitoring in the lower Taieri River catchment.
March 2003
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This report presents the results and findings of a 14-month monitoring programme. Information is also drawn from ORC’s long-term State of the Environment monitoring sites, principally those located at Stonehenge (Hore's Bridge) and Halls Bridge.
November 2023
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This memo addresses whether to retain a nitrogen limit for pastoral farming systems and the suitability of implementing such limits for vegetable growing and arable production.
October 2023
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August 2023
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June 2022
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November 2023
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August 2021
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October 2021
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August 2023
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October 2023
PDF | 8 MB
November 2022
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August 2023
PDF | 159 KB
February 2024
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April 2021
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August 2023
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April 2023
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July 2023
XLSX | 441 KB
March 2024
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February 2024
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February 2024
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Authors: Jason Augspurger and Tom Dyer
February 2024
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Author: Jason Augspurger
February 2024
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Report writer: Jason Augspurger
March 2024
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Many of New Zealand’s freshwater environments are under pressure from land use intensification resulting in deteriorating water quality and ecosystem health. As a result, limits must be set on resource use to achieve receiving environment water quality objectives such as the health of rivers, lakes, and estuaries. To aid communities in determination of desired level of ecosystem health, a model is needed which can fill the knowledge gap on required emission reductions to achieve target attribute states and whether different mitigation suites (GMP and GMP+) may achieve the desired reductions. Report writer: Jason Augspurger
April 2021
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This study analysed the available water quality data in upper Clutha/Mata-Au lakes and their tributaries.
February 2024
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This memo presents known information about the sediment issues from plantation forestry in Otago.
October 2022
PDF | 550 KB
May 2022
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March 2023
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November 2023
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November 2022
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November 2022
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November 2021
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January 2023
PDF | 856 KB
February 2021
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January 2023
PDF | 212 KB
November 2022
PDF | 708 KB
August 2022
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August 2022
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October 2022
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October 2022
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