Wairau Creek Stream Assessment

Image of Wairau Creek. Summary of report findings

Prior to development, the Wairau Valley was largely swamp land with three tributary catchments, rolling hills that were steep in places and a main channel that was overgrown with willows. The land was subsequently drained and raised for use as pasture and the steeper areas lowered to allow industrial and residential construction following the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The catchment is now fully developed with primarily low density residential land use (58%) and contains the North Shore’s main industrial area along with commercial shopping areas in Milford, Sunnynook and Glenfield. The northern motorway also passes through the catchment. The Wairau Creek is the most modified watercourse on the North Shore.

Length		17.9 km
Size Of Catchment		1,318ha
Vegetation Cover		7% (97ha), scattered in small pockets throughout the catchment.
Imperviousness		48%
District Plan Land Use	Business	14%
	Recreation	9%
	Residential	59%
	Road	18%
	Special Purpose	0.15%
Recreational Use		Low, no significant known public use.
Receiving Environment		Wairau Estuary, Milford Beach, Hauraki Gulf.
Substrate		Predominantly concrete lined.
Natural Wetlands		1
Artificial Wetlands		4
Periphyton		Significant densities in main channel – above nuisance levels in some tributaries.
Macrophytes		Generally good, some management issues in Tributary 7.
Macroinvertebrates		Low MCI score and %EPT relative to other North Shore streams.
Fish		5 species of native fish + introduced mosquitofish
Potential Man-Made Barriers to Fish Passage to Upstream Habitat		16
Channel Modification		Extensive – significant proportion of main channel and tributaries straightened and lined or piped.
Erosion around Structures		3 outfalls with slight erosion, 3 with moderate, 1 with severe
Bank Erosion		Minimal erosion due to concrete lining of banks.
Temperature		No data
Suspended Solids, Turbidity And Visual Clarity		Average and below average suspended solids. Below and above average turbidity. High clarity recorded during stream walk survey.
Oxygen and Oxygen Demand		Average relative to other North Shore streams.
Nutrients		Low ammonia and nitrate levels.
Contaminants		Significantly elevated concentrations of copper and zinc.
Bacteria and Pathogens		Levels of indicator bacteria suggest the creek is not suitable for contact recreation.
Sediment Quality		No data.
Debris		Little organic debris. Significant amounts of inorganic debris.
Stream Grouping	Group 2, High value low disturbance	-
	Group 3a, Urban semi-modified	9%
	Group 3b, Urban modified	15%
	Group 4, Concrete lined channel	47%
	Group 5, Piped section	29%

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