Waitara Estuary (adjacent to East Quay)
The Waitara Estuary is located at the coastal town of Waitara and is one of the region’s most significant long length, shallow, well-flushed tidal river estuary. It has a very high freshwater inflow, has a wide subtidal channel and its mouth flanked either side by man-made rock wall is always open. The intertidal habitat is characterised by soft muds, sands, and some saltmarsh comprising rushland (Juncus kraussii - searush, Apodasmia similis - jointed wirerush, Isolepis nodosa - knobby clubrush), reedland (Typha orientalis - Raupo), and sedgeland (Schoenoplectus pungens - three-square) vegetation. It is valued for its aesthetic, spiritual appeal, bathing, biodiversity, and food harvesting. It is significant to the people of Te Atiawa as it was one of the first areas to be settled in Aotearoa. The river provided an abundance of fish, īnanga, tuna (eels), piharau, kahawai, yellow eyed mullet, flounder, herrings, kōkopu, weka, pukeko and ducks. Ecologically, habitat diversity is moderate with some of its regionally significant intertidal vegetation intact. The estuary catchment is dominated by native forest, dairy and sheep/beef farming and exotic forest (including consented forestry).
The estuary has low susceptibility to eutrophication because of its highly flushed nature. However, it is considered moderately to highly vulnerable to sedimentation (muddiness) due to the naturally erosion-prone catchment.
Monitored site results
This dashboard shows information on the data collected by the regional councils and unitary authorities for the Estuary health scientific indicators, click the tiles for more information:
Estuary stressor
Mud content information
What do the grades mean?
Mud content refers to the amount of fine silt and clay particles (collectively called ‘mud’) that are present in the estuary sandflats. This figure shows (mean) annual mud content measured at the monitoring site. The annual values are assessed against custom, national guidelines that indicate increasingly negative impacts on the macrofaunal community.
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≤3%
Ecology is not negatively impacted.
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3-10%
The diversity of the macrofauna community is slightly reduced.
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10-30%
The diversity of the macrofauna community is reduced and less resilient to disturbance.
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30-60%
The macrofauna community is unbalanced and dominated by a small number of tolerant species.
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>60%
The macrofauna community is degraded.
Zinc information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Copper information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Lead information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Arsenic information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Mercury information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Cadmium information
View results alongside National guidelines:
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Chromium information
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable
Nickel information
View results alongside National guidelines:
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What do the grades mean?
This figure shows the (mean) annual contaminant concentration measured in the sediments of the monitored site. The annual values are assessed against the ANZG 2018 guidelines by default, and you can choose to view them assessed against several additional, more conservative guidelines. All of the guidelines show how likely it is that the contaminant is having negative ecological impacts. See the Contaminants factsheet for more information.
- Ecological impacts unlikely
- Ecological impacts possible
- Ecological impacts probable