State of the Environment Reporting - surface water monitoring
Regular, long term monitoring of water quality is essential for the management of our freshwater resources. Using the monitoring data, the current state of water quality can be described. This allows improvement efforts to be focused on areas where water quality is currently degraded. Long-term records also allow the analysis of changes in water quality over time. This is particularly important for assessment of effects in regard to changing land uses and informs the revision of regional rules and objectives.
Marlborough's Surface Water Quality monitoring programme for state of the environment reporting was revised in 2007. The revision incorporated a catchment management approach to water quality monitoring.
Currently, physical and chemical parameters are measured at 35 river sites across Marlborough on a monthly basis.
Diffuse pollution is Marlborough's biggest threat to water quality as poorer water quality is noted in more intensively developed areas.
The state of water quality is reported using the CCME Water Quality Index. More information on calculation of the Water Quality Index can be found in the 2013 SoE report below.
The data collected as part of the SoE programme can also be viewed on the LAWA website.
