Monitor squad to eye Mangatarere water

FOCUS: Ra Smith, Kahungunu ki Wairarapa representative, studies the Mangatarere Stream which is now linked with a national research project. PHOTO/FILE

The Mangatarere Restoration Society has joined a Niwa co-ordinated national research project that plans to develop a team of volunteers to help monitor water quality across the country, increasing opportunities for people to become involved in freshwater management.

Once the project is established the extra data volunteers provide will enhance the national picture of water quality gained from regional sampling.

Mangatarere Stream is the only waterway in Wairarapa monitored as part of the project.

The Mangatarere Restoration Society is one of 13 volunteer groups across the country working with seven different councils.

To ensure the volunteers are accurate in their sampling techniques water monitoring will initially be done at the same sites by both volunteers and regional councils.

Over the next 18 months the data will be compared for accuracy.

Mangatarere Restoration Society volunteers have already begun some training with Greater Wellington Regional Council senior environmental monitoring officer Brett Cockeram.

Volunteers will collect data from the Mangatarere Stream at the SH2 Bridge - a site routinely monitored by Greater Wellington Regional Council.

They will monitor the water quality, habitat quality and aquatic organisms on a monthly basis.

As well as contributing to the study, the Mangatarere Restoration Society aims to use the methods learned to monitor other sites in the Mangatarere catchment to track the impact of restoration work on water quality and stream health.

In 2009, water quality tests showed the Mangatarere Stream was suffering from the effects of storm water and wastewater discharge, nutrient leaching and stock wading in the water.

Studies suggest that riparian planting (planting along the river's banks) will improve the water quality by helping to filtrate nutrients, provide shade for aquatic life and prevent stock reaching the water's edge.

After the results of the water quality tests the Mangatarere Restoration Society initiated various riparian planting projects.

"We are committed to improving the water quality in Mangatarere Stream," said project co-ordinator Esther Dijkstra.

"Monitoring water quality is essential in measuring our success. Being involved in monitoring will be a new experience for the society's members, but we can always use more hands."

People interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Esther Dijkstra by email, mangatarere.restoration@gmail.com