Quantifying catchment and community-based stream monitoring in Aotearoa New Zealand

This preliminary project to quantify freshwater community-based monitoring (CBM) efforts in Aotearoa New Zealand has identified that a wide range of monitoring is being carried out across the county. The sample of community and catchment groups reviewed for this study showed data collection has been undertaken at over 350 sites across nine catchment groups or collectives. In most cases, multiple variables have been monitored at regular intervals, and some groups now have over 5 years of data.

Discussions with three freshwater modellers found that CBM data has strong potential to inform spatial statistical models used in catchment-, regional- and national-scale modelling and reporting applications. Data that are of high quality could also be used to verify modelling predictions and be applied in model calibration exercises.

To increase the utility of CBM information in the future, we recommend the following actions:

• Catchment-based monitoring groups should establish a clear monitoring purpose.
• The data also need to be accessible, along with key metadata.
• Regional councils should help CBM groups establish their monitoring purpose or questions.
• A wider and more comprehensive nationwide exercise should be carried out to quantify and register CBM efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand.

By combining these data sources, there is potential for a richer understanding of waterbody health and an improved information base to support freshwater management.