Wairarapa Catchments capturing stream monitoring data that counts

November 11, 2024

Catchment communities across the Wairarapa are working together to better understand their waterways so they can improve the health of freshwater ecosystems. 

Wakamoekau community catchment group check out the visual clarity on the Wakamoekau River. A cuppa tea and a biscuit is always a draw card for the community to come along and connect with the awa.Photo credit: Rebecca Jamieson, Greater Wellington Regional Council

One of the key areas that Wairarapa Catchment groups want to know more about is the health of their awa. Currently community based monitoring is underutilised in decision making so NIWA, with support from partners like Greater Wellington Regional Council and Mountains to Sea Wellington, have been working to develop a national quality assurance framework to better utilise the data collected through citizen science. The framework focuses on monitoring of stream health and is built around an initial set of 28 indicators. The framework provides an electronic monitoring and quality plan template, guidance document, electronic field form templates and a supporting background report. Groups in the Wairarapa have all been trialling the monitoring plan and the electronic field form. 

Locations of 44 community monitoring sites across the Wairarapa using both bottle sampling and CBFM monitoring.

Over the past year, MTSW has worked with seven groups monitoring 44 sites across the Wairarapa growing the community's knowledge of our freshwater ecosystems. Some of the groups have led the community with over a year's worth of monitoring, and some groups are just coming up to their first completed year. As more groups begin to monitor their awa there will be a greater community or practice in the Wairarapa. 

Identification of an upland bully and assessing fish health during a fish survey on the Wakamoekau River. The fish present and the health of them can provide some good clues as to the longer term health of our waterways. Photo credit: Rebecca Jamieson, Greater Wellington Regional Council

Groups are undertaking a mixture of bottle sampling and community based monitoring. They are looking at indicators such as visual clarity, temperature, nitrate, phosphate, E. coli and fish health. All of these indicators help the groups to better understand their awa and connect the effects of land use on the health of the waterway. 

Harriet from the Wakamoekau Community Catchment Group shares her knowledge on macroinvertebrates found in the Wakamoekau river. At this site we have seen an abundance of large mayflies and stoneflies which tells us the fencing and planting from the farmer are helping to provide a healthy habitat. Photo credit: Rebecca Jamieson, Greater Wellington Regional Council

Most importantly the days out monitoring are always filled with community connection. Neighbours spend a day out (hopefully in the sunshine) around the river talking about their aspirations for the catchment and the community. 

Hamish and Eugene from the Wainuioru Catchment Community monitoring the benefits of a large scale willow removal project on the Wainuiou River

A massive mihi to the hard working community members who have been out in te taiao working to better understand their awa. 

The Whareama River is being monitored using botte sampling at 13 sites across the 1,164km stretch of waterway. The bottom site is the Jetty which is a popular recreation site for the community. Photo credit: Amanda Valois, Greater Wellington Regional Council

If you are interested in learning more about your awa, get in touch with our Wai Connection team. 

Jenny and Maddy (MTSW Catchment Coordinator) test the nutrients of the Taueru River as part of the quarterly monitoring across 10 sites in the Taueru and Whangaehu Rivers. Photo credit: Joe Potangaroa, Potangaroa Education

This mahi has been done as part of Wai Connection, a Mountains to Sea Wellington project and in partnership with the Wairarapa Catchment Collective. To learn more about the Wairarapa Catchment Collective check out the website

Alison and Monique from the Upper Mangatarere Community Catchment group sample eDNA in the Kaipaitangata Stream, a tributary of the Mangatarere River. The group is sampling eDNA once per year across three sites in the catchment to try and detect the impacts of the restoration works and pest control they are doing

Tatai ki te wai (Wai Connection) is a community catchment group engagement project co-funded through the Essential freshwater fund until June 2025. The project aims to empower community catchment groups by providing knowledge, tools and expert support to help identify issues in their local catchment area. 

Maddy
Glover
Catchment Restoration and Science Coordinator - Wairarapa
Happiest in/on/around/under the water Maddy has a passion for all things wai. She is excited to have the opportunity to foster love for te taiao and work with communities to expand the restoration work that is already being done around Wairarapa waterways.
For more of everything Mountains to Sea, follow us on social media!
⮐ Back to stories home