Estuary Monitoring Programme (Greater Wellington Region)

Physical and biological monitoring of estuaries within the Greater Wellington region for Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Sampling sites are located in the Whareama, Hutt, Porirua and Waikanae estuaries.

Sampling frequency = annual (Jan/Feb).

Sampling began in 2004, became a regular programme in 2007 and is ongoing.

Number of sites = 7 total (1 to 4 sites per estuary).

Extent of site = 1800m2 (60m x 30m).

Number of replicates = 10 per site.

Measured variables = Infaunal communities (species identifed to lowest taxonomic level possible and enumerated), epifauna and epiflora (identified in the field) and mapping of broadscale macroalgae cover in selected estuaries.

Sediment characteristics (basic grain size, ash free dry weight, redox (in field), TOC, nitrogen, phosphorus, cadmium, nickel, lead, zinc, chromium and copper).

Sediment erosion/deposition (cm/y): depth of sediment layer measured (using sediment plates buried at most sites).

Sampling protocol & QA = External taxonomic identification of infauna. Basic sediment grain size = 2mm & 63µm sieves, gravimetric (% gravel, sand, and silt) and sediment characteristics analysis conducted by Hills Laboratories.

Citation proposal
. Estuary Monitoring Programme (Greater Wellington Region). https://dc.niwa.co.nz:/niwa_dc/srv/api/records/cfef6c7a-c1f4-4b3d-927a-2d12943b8e61

Simple

Date

Collective title: Robertson, B.; Gillespie, P.; Asher, R.; Frisk, S.; Keeley, N.; Hopkins, G.; Thompson, S.J.; Tuckey, B.J. 2002. Estuarine Environmental Assessment and Monitoring, A National Protocol. Part A. Development, Part B. Appendices and Part C. Application. Prepared for supporting Councils and the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Management Fund Contract No.5096. Part A. 93p. Part B. 159p. Part C 40p plus field sheets.

Credit: Greater Wellington Regional Council

Status: On going

Point of contact

Greater Wellington Regional Council - Juliet Milne (Environmental Science Team Leader )

142 Wakefield Street Wellington 6142 New Zealand

+64 4 384 5708 or 0800 496 734 (within New Zealand)

+ 64 4 385 6960

Website: Greater Wellington Regional Council
Link to the Greater Wellington Regional Council website

Keywords

marine estuarine coastal ocean benthic soft ecological chemistry physical visual observation core

Specific usage: MEMP

Use limitation: Restricted. Permission required from the Greater Wellington Regional Council to release data/reports.

Metadata language: eng

Character set: UTF8

Topic category

Environment

Description: Whareama, Hutt, Porirua and Waikanae estuaries

OnLine resource: Point of truth URL of this metadata record
Point of truth URL of this metadata record

OnLine resource: Link to estuary monitoring reports on the GWRC website.
Link to estuary monitoring reports on the GWRC website.

Hierarchy level: Dataset

Statement

Quality assurance was imposed on methods.

Temporal data were in NZST. Geographic data displayed in ArcGIS.

Data collection information: Infaunal core = 150mm tall x 130mm diameter, intertidal quadrat = 0.5m x 0.5m, sediment sample = top 20mm surface sediment collected, sediment plates