Whakaki Lagoon ecological monitoring 2007 Technical Report
- Author
- Environmental Management Group
- Year
- 2008
- Publisher / Organisation
- Environmental Management Group, Hawkes Bay Regional Council
- Pages
- 50
- Summary
- Regular monitoring of ecological condition and trend is built into the planned management of Whakaki Lagoon, northern Hawke’s Bay, by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Draft Plan No. 2783, April 1999). In December 1999, a regime for monitoring the ecological condition and trend of the lagoon was set up on contract for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council by Geoff Walls. This was done using the experience gained in establishing a similar monitoring regime in Pekapeka Swamp, Hawke’s Bay, a year earlier. It also had the benefit of the local knowledge of Trustees of Whakaki Lagoon, adjacent landowners and Department of Conservation staff. Baseline surveys of vegetation and fauna were carried out at the same time. That work was reported upon (Whakaki Lagoon Ecological Monitoring, 1999). A companion report provides more background information and forms a monitoring plan (Whakaki Lagoon Ecological Monitoring Plan, February 1999). In early December 2001, the monitoring programme was repeated as planned. Overall, the lagoon water levels were higher in 2001 than in 1999, due to recent heavy rain. That made some of the monitoring more difficult, particularly around the immediate lagoon margins. In December 2003, the monitoring was repeated once more. Conditions were similar to those in 2001. In October 2005, the monitoring was repeated once more. Conditions were similar to those in 2003, indicating that the increased lagoon water levels are now normal rather than ephemeral. In December 2007, the monitoring was repeated once more and found that the conditions were similar to 2005. This document reports on the findings.