Water resources - Problems, planning, policy

Abstract

It is widely accepted by New Zealanders that theirs is a wellwatered, benevolent country, having abundant supplies of rainfall and streamflow and no serious water problems. The extent to which this view is prevalent even amongst engineers and scientists working in the water resources field can be gauged from the rather surprising fact that amongst the 25 background papers to this Conference, which are supposed to provide a comprehensive statement of the water resources scene in New Zealand, there is no paper discussing the occurrence and distribution of rainfall and none which attempts a concise, overall assessment of the occurrence, distribution or extent of our surface water resources.