Water in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
is relatively abundant in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
due to the temperate climate and maritime weather patterns. In recent years water pollution
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
and draw-down of aquifers have become important environmental issue
Environmental issue
Environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.-Types:...
s.
Lakes
There are 3,820 lakeLake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s in New Zealand with a surface area larger than one hectare and are of varying types and origins. Many of the lakes in the central North Island area are volcanic crater lakes, while the majority of the lakes near the Southern Alps were carved by glaciers. Hydroelectric reservoirs are common in South Canterbury, Central Otago and along the Waikato River.
Rivers
Over 180,000 kilometres of rivers has been mapped in New Zealand, the longest being the Waikato RiverWaikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
with a length of 425 kilometres and the largest river by volume is the Clutha River
Clutha River
The Clutha River / Mata-Au is the second longest river in New Zealand flowing south-southeast through Central and South Otago from Lake Wanaka in the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, south west of Dunedin. It is the highest volume river in New Zealand, and the swiftest, with a catchment of ,...
with a mean discharge of 533 cubic metres per second.
Wetlands
In the past 150 years New Zealand has lost about 90% of its wetlands due to draining for farming. Many remaining wetlands are also degraded due to pollution, grazing, drainage and presence of invasive plants. New Zealand became a contracting party to the Ramsar ConventionRamsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
in 1976 and had six Ramsar sites.
Waterfalls
New Zealand has many notable waterfallWaterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s, some of which are regularly visited by tourists. Huka Falls
Huka Falls
The Huka Falls are a set of waterfalls on the Waikato River that drains Lake Taupo in New Zealand.A few hundred metres upstream from the Huka Falls, the Waikato River narrows from roughly 100 metres across into a narrow canyon only 15 metres across...
on the Waikato River
Waikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
is one such waterfall. Sutherland Falls
Sutherland Falls
Sutherland Falls is a waterfall near Milford Sound in New Zealand's South Island. At 580 metres the falls were long believed to be the tallest waterfall in New Zealand...
is usually regarded as the highest waterfall in New Zealand at 580 metres high but Browne Falls
Browne Falls
Browne Falls is a waterfall above Doubtful Sound, which is located in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. In breathtaking scenery amidst temperate rain forest, the falls cascade down to the fiord near Hall Arm...
cascades 619 m or 836 m depending on what is considered to be the source. The Maruia Falls on the Maruia River
Maruia River
The Maruia River is located in the northwestern South Island of New Zealand. It is a major tributary of the Buller River, flowing for 80 kilometres before joining the larger river eight kilometres to the west of Murchison....
are a relatively new waterfall formed as a result of the 1929 Murchison earthquake
1929 Murchison earthquake
The 1929 Murchison earthquake occurred at 10:17 AM on 17 June. It struck the Murchison region of South Island, with an estimated magnitude of 7.8, and was felt throughout New Zealand. There were 17 casualties, mostly as a result of landslides triggered by the earthquake...
.
Pollution
Water pollutionWater pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
in New Zealand is becoming an increasing concern for environmentalists and for regulatory bodies.
An increase in dairy farming is linked to an increase in water pollution, and siltation due to land clearance has affected lakes, rivers, caves and bays. There are more than 800 water quality monitoring sites around New Zealand that are regularly sampled.
Legislation
The Resource Management Act 1991 governs the usage of various resources, including water, and if the use is significant a resource consentResource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
is required. Lack of a National Policy Statement on freshwater is often cited as a reason for ineffective management of water resources.
Organisations
Various organisations in New Zealand are involved with water and its use. Regional CouncilRegional Council
Regional Council or regional council may refer to the following:*Regional Council *Regional Council, Hong Kong*Regional council *Regional Council - the Parliament of a Regione of Italy*Regional councils in New Zealand...
s have the statutory responsibility for water.
The Hydrological Society of New Zealand was set up in 1961 to "further the science of hydrology and its application to the understanding and management of New Zealand's water resources".
Fish and Game New Zealand
Fish and Game New Zealand
Fish and Game New Zealand is a statutory body set up to advocate for recreational hunting and fishing in New Zealand.It was set up under the Conservation Act 1987 with the statutory responsibility for the sports of freshwater sport fishing and gamebird hunting...
, a statutory body set up to advocate for recreational hunting and fishing, has taken a stance on water pollution. It started a "dirty dairying
Dirty dairying
Fish and Game started a high profile "dirty dairying" campaign to highlight the problems caused by intensification of dairy farming on the ecological health of New Zealand's freshwater environment...
" campaign to highlight the effect of farming on water quality.
Forest & Bird, a long established conservation organisation, has become involved with water issues due to increasing concern about the effects of pollution on freshwater ecosystems.
The Waterways Centre, opened in 2010, was established as a collaboration between University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
and Lincoln University
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Lincoln University is a New Zealand university that was formed in 1990 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury...
to address freshwater management.
See also
- Glaciers of New ZealandGlaciers of New ZealandNew Zealand contains many glaciers, mostly located near the Main Divide of the Southern Alps in the South Island.An inventory of South Island glaciers during the 1980s indicated there were about 3,155 glaciers with an area of at least one hectare . Approximately one sixth of these glaciers covered...
- Coastline of New ZealandCoastline of New ZealandNew Zealand has of coastline making in the 10th longest in the world. The coastline borders the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The northern and southern most points of the coastline on the two main islands are Surville Cliffs and Slope Point respectively...
- Sustainable Water Programme of ActionSustainable Water Programme of ActionThe Sustainable Water Programme of Action was established in 2003 to address concerns about fresh water in New Zealand.-External links:* at the Ministry for the Environment...
- Environment of New ZealandEnvironment of New ZealandThe environment of New Zealand is characterised by unique flora and fauna and a variety of landforms contained within a small island nation...
- Water safety in New ZealandWater safety in New ZealandNew Zealand has one of the worst drowning rates in the world. The New Zealand Curriculum now does not have learn to swim as an objective. This means that not as many children are being taught to swim as formerly. By 2030 New Zealand can expect 150-180 drownings per year -Deaths in New...
External links
- Drinking-water in New Zealand at the Ministry of Health
- Freshwater page at the Ministry for the Environment
- Freshwater conservation at the Department of Conservation
- Freshwater page at NIWA
- Freshwater page at Forest & Bird
- Water resources at Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Organisations
- Land and Water Forum
- Hydrological Society of New Zealand
- Waterways Centre for Freshwater Management
- Water New Zealand - water industry organisation
- Right to Water - lobby group opposing water privatisation
Journals
Films
- Water Whisperers Tangaroa, (2010)
- A Tale of Two Rivers The future of hydro power generation on New Zealand's West Coast (2010)