Summary 2007-08

 

Overview

· The Northland Regional Council (NRC) operates a hydrometric network consisting of rainfall, river, groundwater, tidal and lake water level monitoring stations.

· This network comprises 208 active stations, of which 81 are automated while the rest are manually read.

· 80 of these automated stations are on a radio/cellphone telemetry network

· The network compliments four rainfall and eight water level stations maintained by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) as well as seven climate and 24 rainfall stations maintained by MetService.

· All data gathered is stored in a hydrological database at the Regional Council and transferred to NIWA annually.

Performance Targets

Continue to implement and improve a prioritized State of the Environment (SOE) monitoring programme and monitor compliance with, and the effects of, the exercise of resource consents and Regional Plans by:

· Operating a region-wide hydrometric network for the measurement, recording and reporting of rainfall, river flows, lake, groundwater and tide levels - ACHIEVED

· Collecting water use records and measuring stream flows, groundwater and lake levels associated with significant water abstractions - ACHIEVED

· Reporting to the Council annually on environmental monitoring activities within three months of the end of the financial year - ONGOING

· Making the results from the annual SOE monitoring programmes available on the Council's website at www.nrc.govt.nz - ONGOING

Summary of Results 2007-08

· Rainfall – a record wet July with two severe storm events; wet in September, December, February and April; dry in August and January; very dry in October and March and variable for the remainder of the year.

· River Flows – Generally, above average (high flows) in July, August, December, February and May, below average (low flows) for September through to November and January and variable for the remainder of the year.

· A total of 245 flow measurements taken, of which 45 were taken during flood conditions.