Waikato river water quality monitoring programme data report 2021

A range of physical, chemical and microbiological water quality parameters have been monitored at several sites along the Waikato River since 1989 as part of the Waikato River Monitoring Programme (WaRiMP). Currently, the programme includes 12 sites monitored at monthly intervals, see Figure 1. This report is the 31st since the re-design of the programme and covers the calendar year of 2021 and follows the format of the previous data report
(Bates, 2020). 

The WaRiMP and the technical reports address the following questions:

1. What is the quality of the water now?
2. Why is the water of the observed level of quality?
3. Is water quality getting better or worse? If so - what makes it change?
4. How can we improve the quality, ecological health and integrity of the Waikato River?

The monitoring information allows the Council to:

• determine compliance with classification standards,
• define the suitability of the resource for various beneficial uses and values of the water,
• monitor the impact of major discrete point source discharges on water quality,
• monitor the impacts of diffuse discharges on water quality,
• provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of resource management measures.

This dataset is invaluable for the evaluation of the Waikato River: its state, the pressures on it, and its response to these pressures. We need to continue to gather comprehensive, reliable, and good quality data on the Waikato River to protect and enhance its values into the future.