Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara: Pathway to wai ora

This story map introduces the geography of Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara, the water quality issues faced by its waterways and the goals of the whaitua committee to return these waterways to wai ora (water of life-giving quality).

You can navigate this story map by scrolling below or clicking on a heading at the top of the page. The headings represent the catchments that make up Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

For each area you can learn about the geographic context and the main issues the area faces in terms of water quality. Maps show the sub-catchments within geographic areas, and reflect where we know there are broad changes in the character and conditions of the river/stream and our activities in the catchment.

Zooming in will show more layers, such as sites of significance for mana whenua, and rivers and small streams within the catchment.

Each geographic area concludes with map images showing our targets for key water quality indicators. These highlight our journey from current state to wai ora.

We welcome your feedback about this story map.

Email david.dillon@gw.govt.nz

The image below shows the six broad ‘catchment areas’, following from the mountains to the sea - ki uta ki tai.

These geographic areas include awa (rivers) whose challenges - and opportunities - are broadly similar. There's value in people coming together to work out how best to care for their awa. 

You can also explore the catchments (yellow boundaries) in the 3D scene below. Click on the arrows* at the top right of the map to expand the map. Zooming in shows more information, including the boundaries of the smaller areas - sub catchments (orange boundaries) - within each catchment, the rivers and streams, sites of significance for Mana Whenua, and marae.

*TIP: The arrows can be used to make any interactive map full screen. Simply click on the arrows again to minimise the map and show the sidebar text

Te Awa Kairangi is the major river system in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and is made up of many unique parts. From the headwaters in the Tararua Ranges, water flows through small, forested streams, before travelling through a number of 'main stem' rivers into the urban environment, and its smaller streams, and then out into Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Harbour).

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment (such as Waiwhetu), a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment (such as Wainuiomata Rural Streams), a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment, a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment (such as Kaiwharawhara), a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment (such as Ōhariu), a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.

The image below show the current, forecast and future states for water quality indicators. Arrows (↓) indicate that deterioration is expected. Or explore an  interactive version  - the interactive version uses filters to limit the display to a sub catchment (such as Korokoro), a time period (see below) or a particular science water quality indicator - such as E.Coli.

Current illustrates what it’s like now.

Forecast shows what happens if we do nothing.

First steps is what’s expected from implementing management solutions to maintain the current state.

Generational shows the improvements from the full implementation of the recommendations.

Longer-term expresses our direction and intention for continuous improvements desired towards wai ora. We don’t currently know what this might require, or how long this might take.