Catchment - Water Quality

 At the setting up of a local environment group in 2017 we encouraged the idea of the importance of understanding catchment areas. The streams and waterways running into our local estuaries including stormwater infrastructure plays a big part in the health of these coastal wetlands and further out to the Hauraki Gulf.

Northboro' Reserve Stormwater

Last Thursday I joined a local group who are now taking an interest in these local water inlets to our estuaries. This week they were investigating the small stormwater pond next to the Council owned pumping station in Northboro Reserve. Some years ago, the area had stormwater caged rocks added and native plantings. A fish ladder was also added. This area is a headwater inlet of Shoal Bay estuary. The groups aim on Thursday was to take water samples and test for water quality and also to search for aquatic life.

Caged rocks to manage stormwater

Small fish ladder

This is the area that I recently wrote a short article Flagstaff morepork following the removal by helicopter of some large, tall old pine trees that were the roost of a local Morepork (Ruru) owl. I had last heard the morepork hoots the day before but then all had gone quiet for several weeks until I had a phone call from a local resident who had heard the morepork in an oak tree (another nonnative) by his house. Good news followed as further reports arrived to show that this morepork was still in the area.

In March 2018 concern was raised in the Devonport Flagstaff after dead ducks were found. Local Board members visited but seemed to have limited concern for the ducks only rather than the other wildlife that inhabits this area.  Many species do visit and some of these that I have observed and photographed (below) I included in an article published in the Flagstaff entitled 'Not Just Ducks'.

Pukeko and short finned eel

White faced heron 

Welcome swallow skimming pond for insects.

Great Cormorant (Black Shag)