Wai
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There are lots of different types of wai. Often when we think of wai on our whenua we think of the wai we can see, rivers, lakes, creeks etc. But there are also the systems of wai that flow below our whenua, either as a reserve of wai or systems of flowing wai. Most of the data we have available relating to wai is based on how Regional Councils think about wai, so keep that in mind as you explore the information available.
Current state vs freshwater objectives
Explore the data comparing current freshwater conditions with freshwater objectives:
A catchment, or whaitua, is an area of land where rain flows into a common river, lake or other body of water. A healthy water catchment supports swimming, fishing, and local ecosystems.
Every catchment around Aotearoa has different land use pressures that impact the health of the water. Understanding your catchment helps you to think long-term about the needs of wai and how you might play a role in supporting its hauora.
We have tried to identify your catchment based on information and maps published by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and Ministry for the Environment (MfE). In some cases your whenua might overlap more than one catchment or a catchment with no officially recorded name.
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How to use this data safely
The map is regional scale (1:50,000 which is equivalent to 10 hectare “smallest area” units). This means it is indicative of what is in the area but is not accurate for the purposes of farm-planning. You’ll need to physically visit parts of your whenua to check the accuracy of what the map suggests.
This combined data is version 1.0 and is sourced from the following maps:
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This information estimates the locations of existing wetlands on your whenua in Aotearoa. It is important that we monitor these for the future.
Wetlands support:
- unique biodiversity,
- filtration of nutrients and sediment out of our water,
- reduction of the impacts of floods,
- provide habitats for our taonga species, and
- act as carbon sinks.
This table and the map above show whether there are any wetlands recorded on your whenua.
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How to use this data safely
There are several sources of wetland information in Aotearoa. Wetlands occur at a variety of scales. This is a regional scale map (1:50,000 which is equivalent to 10 hectare “smallest area” units) and attempts to provide a broad view of some of the bigger wetlands across the motu from existing published sources. It’s likely that smaller wetlands are missed in this map.
This data is sourced from the Ministry for the Environment Current wetland extent, 2013 map. (opens in a new tab)
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This information helps to show where historic wetlands were located on your whenua. It helps to illustrate the changes in our environment and the loss of mahinga kai over time. It also highlights the reduction in biodiversity and natural functions on your whenua.
Wetlands support:
- unique biodiversity,
- filtration of nutrients and sediment out of our water,
- reduction of the impacts of floods,
- provide habitats for our taonga species, and
- act as carbon sinks.
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How to use this data safely
The historic wetlands layer is an estimate only.
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New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI) Flood Return Interval map
The Flood Return Interval map gives you an indication of the likelihood of a flood occurring over different time periods. While it's not absolute, it is useful to help you think about the risk of different land use options on different parts of your whenua.
We note that with climate change, and changing frequency and intensity of storms, a lot of care should be taken when applying this map. The map is indicative only and should not be used to provide any certainty regarding flood risk.
Your regional Council might also have information available regarding flood risk that might affect your whenua, so it's worth checking in with them too.
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How to use this data safely
New Zealand Land and Resource Inventory (NZLRI) maps like the flood return interval map are of a regional scale (1:50,000 which is equivalent to 10 hectare “smallest area” units). This means while they are good for catchment-level decision-making, more detailed assessments are required at the farm scale to assess the likelihood of flooding for parts of your whenua.
This data is sourced from the NZLRI Flood Return Interval map (opens in a new tab) and was uploaded in 2010. The data was collected at various times at various scales.
You can read more about mapping scales here. (opens in a new tab)
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Groundwater aquifer potential indicates areas where natural underground reservoirs are located.
These underground reservoirs can provide viable sources of usable water for:
- drinking water for whānau living on or near the whenua
- irrigating crops
- industrial use on your whenua.
This information helps you make decisions around potential well locations and water management. Groundwater information can be difficult to obtain. If you are wanting accurate information on groundwater for your whenua, it is best to engage independent advice.
This data comes from GNS Science, who have estimated the likelihood of an aquifer being present. Access to groundwater is managed by Regional Councils, so you may need to talk to them before taking further steps.
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How to use this data safely
The aquifer potential map is regional scale (1:250,000). It is considered suitable for refining surficial aquifer boundaries on the regional scale where these boundaries have not been updated since 2001. Future updates of the dataset will reduce the uncertainty and extend the applicability of the data set.
This data is sourced from GNS Science New Zealand Aquifer Potential version 1.0. (opens in a new tab) Data is reproduced with the permission of GNS Science.
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