Every year we summarise the results of our environmental reporting in to a series of report cards. Each of these report cards are available for you to download below:
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Air Quality
Most poor air quality in Southland is caused by high winter levels of small particulate matter known as PM10, from burning wood and coal for home heating. Regional Councils are required to monitor areas where air quality is likely or known to breach... |
246.77 KB |
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Bathing Water Quality
Exposure to disease-causing micro-organisms (i.e. bacteria, viruses and protozoa) is a major human health risk associated with swimming and eating filter-feeding shellfish such as cockles and mussels. Environment Southland monitors fecal 'indicator'... |
340.7 KB |
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Environmental Education
Environmental education is more than just developing awareness and understanding about environmental issues. It is about taking action towards becoming sustainable communities - investigating problems and solutions, and learning how to participate... |
259.37 KB |
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Enviroschools
Enviroschools is an innovative nationwide school programme where students plan, design and create resilient and sustainable communities. The Enviroschools Foundation runs the programme in collaboration with national and regional agencies... |
297.4 KB |
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Groundwater Quality
Groundwater is important to our community in many ways; particularly as a source of drinking water, as a receiving environment for contaminants and as a contributor to water flow in streams and rivers. Groundwater quality is affected by natural chemical... |
424.23 KB |
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Groundwater Quantity
Groundwater is held in natural underground reservoirs called aquifers. Under natural conditions the volume of water in an aquifer reflects a balance between recharge from rainfall and river flow and discharge to other water bodies including rivers, streams... |
345.93 KB |
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Lake Water Quality
Environment Southland regularly monitors indicators of water quality in Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri and the Waituna Lagoon. The main purpose of monitoring is to determine the current state of water quality, changes over time and the nature... |
314.19 KB |
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Living Streams - Sandstone
The Sandstone Stream is a tributary of the Waimea Stream 20km north west of Gore, near Mandeville. The downstream waters of the Waimea Stream and Mataura River are highly valued for fishing and swimming, and are of special importance to Iwi... |
286.67 KB |
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Living Streams - Waihopai
The Waihopai River begins near Edendale. On its journey to the New River Estuary it picks up pollutants such as fertilizer, sediment and contaminated stormwater and carries them down to the New River Estuary. Some of these pollutants are harmful... |
359.93 KB |
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Living Streams - Waituna
The Waituna Lagoon is part of the Awarua wetland complex which is recognized, under the Ramsar Convention as a site of international importance. The wetlands provide important breeding, feeding and molting areas for waterbirds, and a place for... |
315.17 KB |
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Rainfall and River Flow
Environment Southland monitors rainfall, river level and flow in the region, to assist in the management of water resources and to manage natural hazards such as floods and droughts... |
317.71 KB |
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River and Stream Health
Rivers and streams are important resources, crucial to a range of water and land-based ecosystems and activities. Their health is influenced by natural factors such as climate and soil and rock type, and human activities also have a significant effect... |
323.4 KB |
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Soils
Soils are a non-renewable resource and are vital to Southland's productive capacity. They sustain plant and animal production, can maintain or enhance water and air quality and support human health and habitation. When the physical, chemical and... |
258.67 KB |
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Surface Water Quantity
The term "surface water" in Environment Southland’s Regional Water Plan encompasses all permanent freshwater streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Surface water is important for the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of all Southlanders... |
228.92 KB |
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.