Freshwater monitoring: Challenges and needs of regional councils

Abstract

Comprehensive and consistent monitoring of Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater environments is crucial to understand what effects human actions are having on these systems, and what different actions might be required to protect and support the values New Zealanders have for their waterways. Over the last decade, parallel changes to freshwater policy, resource management legislation, and environmental reporting legislation have altered the obligations of regional councils to monitor their freshwater environments. At the same time, community demand for access to reliable environmental information is increasing. As central government proceeds with reform of the resource management system, it is timely to consider what is needed to build a coherent, rigorous, and effective environmental monitoring system. This report draws on expert interviews conducted as part of an independent Marsden Fast Start investigation into issues in freshwater monitoring. This report synthesises interview evidence from regional council staff to identify key challenges and needs of regional councils with respect to freshwater monitoring. Interviews with 20 present and former council science staff from all 16 regional councils canvassed six topical areas of implementation challenges and needs. Regional council scientists from the SWIM group provided feedback to strengthen the report, though final responsibility for the report’s content lies with the author. Furthermore, while this report highlights the challenges councils are facing, it is important to note that much is also going well in the sector.