Waikato Coastal Water Quality Monitoring

There is limited information about the quality and characteristics of the Waikato Region's coastal waters. Coastal water quality samples have been collected sporadically at various times during 1973-2000. The data set is compiled of coastal water quality information Council has collected pre-2000.

Over 90 sites have been sampled. Most are located in the Coromandel and West Coast areas, and most sampling has occurred during the summer. Sample locations include 15 sites in the Coromandel in addition to Whangapoua, Whitianga, Tairua, and Whangamata Harbours and Waihi Beach. West Coast sample sites have been at Port Waikato, Raglan, Kawhia, Awakino, Aotea and Mokau (samples at Awakino and Mokau are limited to Davis, 1984). General Coastal Water Quality - up to 1500 results are available for a number of variables including: temperature, salinity/conductivity, turbidity, absorbance, pH, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, dissolved reactive phosphorus, nitrate, ammonium, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and sulphate. Water Quality for Swimming – faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci bacteria, heterotrophic plate counts, turbidity, suspended solids, salinity and temperature. Water Quality for Shellfish Gathering – faecal coliform

varying including: Awakino and Mokau, Aotea Harbour, Kawhia Harbour, Raglan Harbour, Port Waikato, Firth of Thames, Wyuna Bay, Long Bay, Oamaru Bay, Whangapoua Harbour, Mercury Bay, Whitianga Harbour, Buffalo Beach, Cooks Beach, Purangi Estuary, Hahei Beach, Hot Water Beach, Tairua Harbour, Pauanui, Whangamata Harbour, Whiritoa Lagoon and Beach, Waihi Beach).

Available in the LOCATED application (see DOCS#559844).

1973-2000

Various Frequency of collection: sporadic, generally over summer

sampling frequency and parameters. Gaps in collection: No offshore water quality information. Lack of information on water quality in the Firth of Thames. Little information on water quality for shellfish health. Data quality: The database HYDROL was set up in 1997, data collected prior to 1987 was stored … copies. Data is double checked by different people as it is entered, according to TE … standards, after which the data is eyeballed to ensure that the values are realistic. Check web metadata Attribute accuracy: Not reported Completeness: There is extensive water quality data on the Coromandel, but data on West Coast beaches has been much less intense. Most of the regions coastal water quality data (and all water quality data from the West Coast) has been collected as part of bacteriological surveys with a limited number of parameters.

various written reports, digital Digital Format: MS Word, information is sorted on HYDROL which is operated from within an ORACLE environment.

Impact monitoring, baseline classification, public health and safety monitoring.

Freely available No restrictions, except that data collected by external agencies may not be available to third parties.

On going maintenance as data is collected.

Coastal water quality data has been collected under numerous projects having different objectives, periods and frequencies. Most information comes from Regional Beach … Monitoring programmes. Related information: River water quality data sets. NIWA FRST-funded programme 'Biophysical Interactions Across the Continental Shelf' (98-NIW-16-6083). Includes a permanent mooring site in the Firth of Thames. Wilson's Bay marine farming consent monitoring.