Written by Kaitiaki Whangaroa in September 2023. Adapted by MTS.
UPDATE: KNOW YOUR WATERWAYS
Kia ora koutou mā
We've been getting out and about learning about our Waterways over recent weeks and months, and this post will share some info on those activities.
A group of kaitiaki who undertook the Fresh Water monitoring workshop delivered by Whitebait Connection at Te Patunga Marae back in June, have been visiting different sites on the Te Awaroa-Pupuke, Te Touwai, Tauranga and Ngamoko rivers and streams.
Did you know that the waterways in Whangaroa are classified by NRC as being among the 25% worst rivers in the country?
This is based on the results from NRC testing of the Kaeo River at Dip Road. If you would like to view these results, which date back to 2007, be prepared and go to the Environmental Data Hub.
Anyway, back in our community, we took some of our mokopuna and whānau along for our visits, and have been recording clarity and conductivity, identifying some of the species living there, measuring temperatures and taking samples for testing phospates, nitrates and e-coli.
We're getting together soon to collate these results, plan an ongoing Fresh Water monitoring program that compliments what is already in place on the Kaeo and Waiare rivers, and discuss the best ways to communicate these results and what they mean, out to the community.
If you'd like to be involved, or have any suggestions that can help these discussions, please feel free to email kaitiakiwhangaroa@gmail.com.
In the meantime, here's some photo's of some of our recent visits to our waterways.
If you're interested, please email Kaitiaki Whangaroa
If you would like to support our organisation and help us reach more people with our marine and freshwater engagement programmes, you can donate or sign up as a volunteer below.
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