Freshwater

We provide public information on river, lake, and groundwater conditions across New Zealand including freshwater quantity and quality.

Rachel Crawford and Paul Franklin inspecting a fish passage on the Waikato River.

Freshwater and Estuaries Update

A seasonal review and outlook for New Zealand's water resources, and an update on NIWA's freshwater research

Go to the article

Research

Explore

Tools & Services

Explore

Contacts

View contacts

  • Link to source page

    IrriSET - Irrigation Strategy Evaluation Tool

    IrriSET helps farmers to understand the economic viability and environmental efficiency of various irrigation strategies and prioritise their irrigation investments.
    Agriculture

  • Link to source page

    Native freshwater and saltwater plant cultivation booklets

    These booklets help provide guidance on the cultivation and restoration of native submerged macrophytes.
    Freshwater
    Freshwater restoration

  • Link to source page

    In the snow: new tool to advise New Zealanders of snow conditions

    Media release
    10 June 2022
    A new tool giving near real-time snow data has been made available to the public for the first time.
    Climate and weather
    Freshwater

  • Link to source page

    Demand grows for NIWA’s Riparian Management Training

    Media release
    09 June 2022
    NIWA has updated and restarted a course using a riparian planning tool developed by one of its former chief scientists more than 20 years ago.
    Freshwater quality

  • Link to source page

    Ki uta ki tai: NIWA’s role in mountains-to-sea estuarine management

    Media release
    09 June 2022
    Estuaries are coastal waterbodies where freshwater mixes with seawater. Many estuaries in Aotearoa New Zealand have been impacted by pollutants and contaminants entering via freshwater.
    Coasts
    Estuaries
    Oceans

  • Link to source page

    Removing barriers to ensure freshwater fish can complete their life cycle

    Media release
    19 May 2022
    New Zealand has just over 50 native freshwater fish species. Of these, 85 % are endemic and 75 % are deemed to be at risk of decline or are threatened.
    Fisheries
    Rivers

  • Link to source page

    Mt Potts electronic weather station (EWS)

    Our highest elevation site at 2128 m, Mt Potts is also one our sites very exposed to wind.
    Hydrology and flow
    Stations

  • Link to source page

    Upper Rakaia electronic weather station (EWS)

    The Upper Rakaia SIN site is located at 1752 m on a north facing slope in the Jollie Range. Records start in 2010.
    Hydrology and flow
    Stations

  • Link to source page

    Albert Burn electronic weather station (EWS)

    The Albert Burn SIN site is located at 1280 m in the upper Albert Burn valley, east of Mt Aspiring/Tititea. Records start in 2012.
    Hydrology and flow
    Stations

  • Link to source page

    Ivory Glacier - compact weather station (CWS)

    The Ivory Glacier SIN site is located at 1390 m next to Ivory Lake, west of the main divide of the Southern Alps/ Kā Tiritiri Te Moana.
    Hydrology and flow
    Stations

  • Link to source page

    Cultural Keystone Species

    Research Project
    A four-year research programme focused on the co-management and restoration of our freshwater taonga species.
    Fisheries
    Freshwater
    Te Kūwaha and Māori

  • Link to source page

    CKS2020 - Building Aotearoa-New Zealand Research Capability

    In collaboration with the University of Waikato, the CKS team has also supported five graduate students and three summer research scholarship interns through a variety of practical experiences.
    Freshwater