SUPPORTING AUCKLAND COUNCIL’S HEALTHY WATERS PROGRAMME TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE WATERCOURSES WHILE ENABLING DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

Client:        Auckland Council
Sector:       Public
Services:    Ecology, Local Government  
Date:            2014 - 2022

Our Ecology team in Auckland have provided Watercourse Assessment Reports (WARs) for Auckland Council to support their Healthy Waters programme. Since 2014, the team have surveyed over 300km of streams and conducted assessments of the ecological health of streams and stormwater infrastructure. The field teams use ArcGIS applications to collect and quality check data which has been used to create WARs for seven catchments to date, with more currently underway. These include a prioritised list of recommendations and key management actions for the catchment, along with identifying any issues such as fish passage or erosion, aimed at enhancement and remedying the specific stormwater issues. The findings and recommendations were mapped, and the survey data was provided back to Auckland Council in a quality controlled database.

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​WARs have been vital for our client, to inform master planning, support both land development and water sensitive design outcomes, and restoration interventions. The WARs considered the significant growth pressures facing the Auckland region and the important role of urban streams in conveying stormwater within realistic environmental and economic constraints.

Our commitment to balance the needs of land, people and water came to the fore for this project as we worked alongside our client to manage watercourse protection and enhancement in the context of existing stream values and enable development.