Science Media Centre

Wrangling over water issues Polluted rivers, dirty dairying, greening the MacKenzie Country, dams for hydro-power and water allocation — these are just some of the big water issues that have been in the headlines in recent months. Although freshwater is relatively abundant in New Zealand, uneven distribution of water resources and increasingly intensive use have [...]

Gerald Piddock writes in the Timaru Herald about groundwater – scientists say that the impact on our groundwater of intensive agriculture might not be known for decades, as it could take that long for any contaminants to reach monitoring sites. While effects on shallow groundwater might be seen fairly rapidly, effects on deep groundwater would [...]

Groundwater is a crucial natural resource — around one third of the water used in New Zealand comes from underground — but it can be easily overlooked in the contentious debates surrounding declining water quality and resource management. With the highly-anticipated recommendations from the Land and Water Forum on freshwater management reform due back to [...]

The “One Plan” hearings entered their final phase this week with key scientists presenting their findings to inform decision making on the regions land and water management plan. Also under scrutiny was the health of the Manuwatu River. Horizons Regional Council held a briefing for media to engage with experts regarding the real state of [...]

Agriculture Minister David Carter today sharply criticised dairy farmers who are failing to meet agreed targets for controlling pollution. His statement comes on the back of a report on progress under the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord issued today by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). “The data from this year’s snapshot tells a [...]

A comprehensive snapshot of Auckland’s air, land, water quality and biodiversity — the State of the Environment report — was released today by Auckland Regional Council (ARC). It paints a picture of continued rapid population growth and increasing strain on natural resources and infrastructure. Councillor Paul Walbran, Chair of the Regional Strategy and Planning Committee [...]

Michael Forbes of the Dominion Post writes that some of NZ’s largest industries will be getting involved in a debate over the amount of pollution that should end up in central North Island waterways. The “One Plan” hearings will end in a comprehensive scheme for the Manawatu-Whanganui region and the management of its natural resources, [...]