Rivers and Wetlands

As well as maintaining a network to monitor and predict floods, Marlborough District Council hydrologists monitor rainfall, river flows and groundwater levels, analyse data and provide information and advice to groups both inside and outside Council.

Council maintains a network of river sites using electronic technology. Data from most sites is transmitted direct to Council's Blenheim office.

The collection of data and subsequent analysis allows information to be used for other projects such as the determination of low flows in rivers for resource consents, water allocation, in-stream habitat surveys and groundwater recharge investigations.

Natural Character of Rivers

The Council has released a report containing an assessment of the natural character of selected Marlborough rivers. The study was undertaken as an independent assessment by Boffa Miskell Ltd with the assistance of an expert panel of people familiar with Marlborough rivers. The study was also undertaken as part of a wider project co funded by the Foundation for Research and Technology to develop methodology to assess the significance of river values.

The various attributes that contribute to the natural character of the river channel, riparian margin and wider landscape character have been scored against specified thresholds in order to determine the overall level of natural character. The natural character of each river is then identified and mapped.

The report provides useful information to resource consent applicants and the community about the nature of the natural character of Marlborough's main rivers.