A classification of New Zealand's coastal hydrosystems Technical Report
- Author
- Hume, T; Gerbeaux, P; Hart, D; Kettles, H; Neale, D.
- Year
- 2016
- Journal / Source
- Prepared for Ministry of the Environment
- Publisher / Organisation
- NIWA
- Pages
- 120
- Summary
- New Zealand has a long (18,000 km including estuarine shores) and highly varied coastline. New Zealand’s coastal water bodies, flowing and still, fresh to saline, span a wide range of environments; coastal wetlands; systems fed by small streams to large braided rivers; systems located at the interface of low to high-energy ocean settings; systems on muddy through sandy to gravelly coasts; and also large complex systems that are made up of several types or classes. The coastal hydrosystems classification described herein aims to reconcile and clarify coastal hydrosystem terminology and produce a hierarchy and classification of coastal wetland, riverine, estuarine and marine types. This report also provides some environmental parameters for the systems and gives examples of how the classification can be used to manage these systems and their catchments. The work began in June 2013 with workshops in June 2013 and January 2014 to explore ideas and the co-authors presenting ideas at conferences. In October 2015 MFE provided funding for NIWA, Hume Consulting Ltd and the University of Canterbury to work with the Department of Conservation to develop the classification further. Input from practitioners at a two-day stakeholders’ workshop in February 2016 contributed to the development of the classification and ensured its alignment with management applications.