Biological Indicators of Contamination in Auckland's Estuaries: An Initial Assessment (1mb)

An ability to identify a specific contaminant or groups of contaminants that are potentially causing adverse effects in the aquatic environment could improve management practices nationally and internationally. The objectives of this initial study were:

• to conduct a literature review of the potential of biomarkers for assessing the adverse effects of metals in estuarine and coastal environments;
• to obtain quantitative data on biochemical changes and cellular damage in shellfish and fish sampled along a contaminant gradient that covered eight estuaries in the Auckland region, and
• to provide recommendations on the possible incorporation of biological assessment tools in existing contaminant monitoring programmes.

Stream Ecological Valuation (SEV): a method for assessing the ecological functions of Auckland streams (518kb)

This report details the technical background of the Stream Ecological Valuation (SEV), a method for quantifying the values of streams based on the performance of their key ecological functions. The SEV was developed to quantify the ecological value of streams in a consistent manner to inform resource management decisions. Historically, such assessments have been inconsistent and therefore of varying, but often limited, value for reliably assessing the ecological value of the resource. Hence, the requirement for a standard approach for assessing the ecological value of streams was recognised and provided the stimulus for the development of the SEV.

Soil quality of Drystock sites in the Auckland Region in 2010. Changes since 1995-2000. (282kb)

The Resource Management Act 1991 requires regional councils to report on the “life supporting capacity of soil” and whether current practices will meet the “foreseeable needs of future generations”. Data for the region were available from the Ministry for the Environment’s 500 Soils Project, 1995-1998 and 1999-2001.

This report assesses the 2010 status of selected sample sites from the 500 Soils Project and how soil quality has changed since 1995-2000.

Sampling Requirements and Reporting Statistics for the Proprietary Devices Evaluation Protocol (PDEP) Development (2.64mb)

The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) is developing a Proprietary Devices Evaluation Protocol (PDEP) to permit consistent and transparent evaluation of proprietary stormwater treatment devices. The intention of the current work is to provide a scientifically defensible methodology for the PDEP in terms stormwater quality performance. The scope of the current evaluation includes deriving performance metrics (measures) for total suspended solids (TSS) only, and providing guidance to interpret metrics. The work was divided into three tasks:

1. Establish the minimum number of storms to be sampled.
2. Determine the minimum number of samples (aliquots) per event to contribute to a flow-weighted composite sample for laboratory analysis.
3. Recommend performance metrics.

Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (1.4mb)

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC's) are chemicals that can have an effect on the endocrine system of animals including humans. This document presents an overview of e-EDC sources, impacts on organisms, characteristics relating to transport and degradation in the environment and wastewater treatment systems, and analytical methods that can be used to quantify them.

Aquaculture - economic impact in the Auckland region (2mb)

This report addresses the regional impact of the aquaculture industry in the Auckland region. It also provides an insight into the economic impact of the growth within the sector.

The integration of low impact design, urban design, and urban form (1.4mb)

This report is a comparison between Low Impact Design principles taken from TP124 and the Ministry for the Environment NZ Urban Design Protocol. It identifies synergies and potential conflicts and provides methods to reconcile these conflicts.

Capacity for Growth Study 2006 - methodology

Extensive Green (Living) Roofs for Stormwater Mitigation Part 1: Design and Construction (3.6mb)

Green roof technology is emerging internationally as a viable low impact design method for stormwater management in ultra-urban centres.  Rooftops comprise a large proportion of the total impervious area in urban settings; significant opportunity exists to reduce runoff volume and peak flow by retrofit of existing building stock.

This report documents four years of research into developing green roof design specifically for stormwater management.  The research project centres around design and retrofit of an extensive green roof constructed on the roof of the University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering building.

Interations between heavy metals, sediment and cockle feeding and movement (1.1mb)

This report brings together the findings of a series of laboratory and field experiments on intereactions between cockle size, density , mobility, feeding and contaminants.Then objects of the project is to link contaminantion deposition and burial, and the ectotoxicity and ecophysiology of cockles, with the valuing of ecosystems. 

Soil quality of dairy sites in the Auckland region in 2009: changes since 1995-2000 (653.6kb)

The strategy chosen by the Auckland Regional Council in 2009 was to re-sample those sites established under the earlier projects and considered to be at risk of soil quality degradation. Using the protocols established during the earlier projects 21 sites were re-sampled on dairy sites. None of the 21 sites sampled in 2009 fell within the suggested target ranges. Overall the current soil condition of these dairy sites is similar to that observed in earlier sampling and remains of concern. In particular, the issue of low macroporosity on all sites is persistent. The study has provided valuable information to inform the soil quality monitoring programme.

Seasonal patterns in ecosystem metabolism of rivers in the Auckland region 2003-09 (751.6kb)

This report provides a summary and analysis of the continuous dissolved oxygen data collected by ARC between 2003 and 2009. The oxygen data can be used to calculate rates of ecosystem metabolism (a combination of gross primary production and ecosystem respiration) and thus provide an indication of river health. The use of these indicators is still at a development phase in New Zealand, but the ARC results show a good relationship with catchment land cover and existing measures of river health. This is a particularly important result, which would allow the ecosystem metabolism approach to be utilised in rivers where existing measures are not practical. Overall, the results ere consistent with the findings of the 2009 State of the Auckland Environment Report.

Meola Reef ecological monitoring programme: 2001-2010 (4.0mb)

This report covers data collected from 2001 to 2010 and describes the subtidal and intertidal communities associated with the reef and some of the environmental factors that influence what is found on the reef.

Ecosystem Functioning, Goods and Services in the Coastal Environment (1,016.8kb)

Auckland has a vast array of coastal ecosystems that provide many benefits to residents. Coastal ecosystems produce not only goods, such as fish and shellfish, and amenity and recreational values but in addition provide a number of important services that play crucial roles in supporting human, plant and animal populations. For example nutrient cycling, contaminant sequestration, flood control, coastal protection and resilience to disturbance are all of intrinsic human benefit. This report aims to increase the understanding of goods and services provided by estuarine and coastal systems, by answering the following questions: 1. What is the full range of ecosystem goods and services relied on by humans? 2. Which ecosystem goods and services are provided in the Auckland coastal environment? 3. How do ecosystem functions underpin these goods and services and affect their regulation and delivery? 4. What is the spatial and temporal delivery of ecosystem goods and services? 5. What is the spatial and temporal appreciation of ecosystem goods and services? 6. What are the implications for future delivery of ecosystem goods and services in light of various anthropogenic impacts?

Impervious surface mapping for the Auckland region (2.7mb)

Impervious surfaces are defined as constructed surfaces, such as roads, roofs and footpaths, which are covered in materials such as concrete, asphalt and roofing materials. Soils under urban development that have been compacted can also be impervious. This work extends the spatial coverage (to the whole region) of a previous ARC study that investigated impervious surface within the Metropolitan Urban Limit (TR2009/036). This impervious surface information will allow us to further understand the relationship between impervious surfaces and environmental quality, particularly in river systems. The results are consistent with the previous study indicating impervious surfaces are mainly located within the Metropolitan Urban Limit (average imperviousness 35%), compared with a full regional average of 7%. The results for the individual Territorial Authorities are, in decreasing order of imperviousness, North Shore City (32%), Auckland City (26%), Manukau City (15%), Papakura District (14%), Waitakere City (11%), Franklin District (2%) and Rodney District (2%).

Ecological communities and habitats of Whangateau Harbour 2009 (999.6kb)

In 2009 the council established an ecological monitoring programme in Whangateau Harbour.This report contains results from the first year of monitoring as well as subtidal and intertidal habitat maps and results from sediment contaminant analysis.

A bacterial community index (BCI) for New Zealand streams - year 1 (2.1mb)

A bacterial community index (BCI) for New Zealand streams - year 1 - appendices (2mb)

The development of a bacterial community index (BCI) for New Zealand streams was based on a molecular description of the bacterial biofilm community from 254 stream sites collected across seven regions of New Zealand in mid to late summer 2010.

The BCI aims to provide a measure of stream health which supplements the information derived from traditional indicators of stream health.