29 June 2015

Environment website wades deeper into water data

Environmental monitoring website Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) is expanding its repertoire, offering more data about New Zealand’s most valuable natural resource, water.

LAWA (www.lawa.org.nz) now displays real-time data on river flow, groundwater and rainfall levels at over 1,000 sites around New Zealand.

“We believe LAWA is one of the first of its kind to bring together a whole country’s water quality and quantity data into one place,” said Fran Wilde, chair of Local Government New Zealand’s regional sector.

“Building on the beach and river quality information already available on LAWA, the real-time flow and water level data will allow those who rely on water for business or recreational activities to see the current state of the river or aquifer.”

LAWA also shows how much water is available in different regions and how it is being used.
In Hawke’s Bay this includes data on 22 beach sites, 17 rivers and streams, 70 surface water zones and 40 groundwater zones.

“The monitoring and reporting provided by HBRC’s environmental science team now plays into a national picture with even better access for any person with an interest in this information,” said Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Interim Chief Executive, Liz Lambert.

“We’re a proud partner in the LAWA project,” she added.

LAWA was launched in 2014 and is a collaboration between New Zealand’s 16 regional and unitary councils, the Cawthron Institute, Ministry for the Environment and has been supported by the Tindall Foundation. It allows people to access information about the quality and availability of New Zealand’s natural resources on the internet.

Ms Wilde said LAWA would be adding more data about the quality of New Zealand’s lakes in the next few months, followed by air quality monitoring.

LAWA will also contribute to a new national environmental reporting regime being designed by the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand.

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