Our water
Northland's fresh water can be found in two places – underground (groundwater) and above ground (surface water). Some deep groundwater aquifers have been underground for up to 10,000 years. Surface water includes such things as lakes, rivers and streams.
We manage Northland's fresh water. We decide how much water our rivers need to survive and for the living things in the rivers to thrive. We also plan how fresh water is managed, including controlling how much fresh water can be taken for specific uses (such as irrigation), guide whether anything can be put down pipes into rivers and lakes, and say how some water will be protected for cultural and recreational reasons.