Our Taupō office is closed Friday, 17 January and will reopen on Monday, 20 January 2025. To report air or water pollution, unsafe water activities in or on a river, lake or harbour, or make a general enquiry or information request during this time, we can be contacted 24/7 on 0800 800 401.

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  1. Environment »
  2. Coastal and marine »
  3. Monitoring coastal and marine ecosystem health

Our coastal and marine ecosystem health

To assess coastal and marine ecosystem health we measure aspects of coastal and marine biodiversity, sediment quality (also known as benthic health) and water quality. Our monitoring has so far been largely focused on estuaries given they are the receiving environment of many stressors from land and freshwater and because of their high use and value. We are currently developing our methods for monitoring ecosystem health in other areas, such as rocky reefs.

We have published methods and results from some of our estuarine state of the environment monitoring in technical reports, webpages, and in environmental indicators, and are trialling new ways to present this information, such as in our marine report card for Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour.

Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme

Our Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme focuses on using intertidal sediment-dwelling organisms, such as shellfish and marine worms, and sediment characteristics as indicators of the health of monitored estuaries.

Estuarine water quality monitoring

We monitor some key estuaries monthly throughout the year to assess ecosystem health (suitability of the water for the plants and animals that live there).

Hauraki Gulf Community Shellfish Monitoring

Waikato Regional Council supports communities to survey local shellfish beds in order to gather information about shellfish trends over time and increase environmental awareness.

Marine report cards

Waikato Regional Council monitors a number of sites to assess the suitability of water quality for recreational activities, estuarine water quality, ecological health and sediment contamination. The report cards summarise how the areas are doing in each.