Water quality was excellent at sites 31 and 34. Water quality was fair and site 32 due to elevated phosphorus and moderate water clarity. Water quality was good at site 33, except for water clarity which was low. E. coli concentrations were very low at all sites (≤ 200). Nitrate concentrations were below toxicity levels at all sites being lowest at 31-Oparau River (0.02 mg/L) and highest at 32-Mangapapa stream (0.50 mg/L). Ammonia concentrations were exceptionally low at all sites (< 0.005 mg/L). Mangapapa stream was the only site with a combined concentration of Nitrate + Ammonia equivalent to 0.5 mg/L. Ecological impacts, including problematic growth of algae and/or aquatic plants and loss of sensitive aquatic invertebrates may occur when the combined concentration of nitrate and ammonia regularly exceed 0.5 mg/L. Dissolved reactive phosphorus concentrations were exceptionally low at 3 out of 4 sites (≤ 0.006 mg/L) and elevated at 32-Mangapapa Stream (0.02 mg/L)). Water clarity was excellent at 31-Oparau River and 34-Awaroa River (≥ 2.31 m) but poor at 32-Mangapapa stream and 33-Te Kauri Stream (≤ 1.43 m), relative to the national bottom line (1.34 m).

Collection date: 10 November 2023