Complete agenda for October 2009 Council Meeting (pdf, 1610KB)

Northland Regional Council - 21 October 2009 Page 31 Item 7Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a response in groundwater levels resultingfrom shock waves generated from such severe earthquakes. For example, similarresponses were recorded in the Maunu aquifer when a 7.6 magnitude earthquakestruck the Solomon Islands on 2 April 2007 and again from a 7.8 magnitudeearthquake in Fiordland on the 16 July 2009. Ground water responses wererecorded over many New Zealand aquifers during the Fiordland quake.Water ResourcesRainfall, ground water levels and river flows were average to above average in theFar North and western areas and below average in eastern and central areas fromthe Bay of Islands to Southern Kaipara. Rain fell, on average, over 14 days duringSeptember of which most fell in the last two weeks of September.Map 1: Rainfall September 2009 Map 2: River Flows September 2009COASTAL MONITORINGHarbour Water Quality MonitoringHokianga, Kaipara, Bay of Islands and Whangarei Harbour water quality wasmonitored this month. Further monitoring to assess faecal contamination in theHokianga, Whangarei, Whangaroa Harbours and Kerikeri Inlet was undertaken atthree sites in each location. This monitoring will continue for six months and resultswill be reported at the end of the sampling period.Whangarei Harbour Clean UpMaritime and Coastal teams dedicated half a day to tidying up sections of the HateaRiver as part of Keep NZ Clean week. Staff collected 1.5 tonnes of rubbish and over1,000 items of rubbish (see photo). Members of the public congratulated staff on theirefforts during the event and expressed an interest in participating in future clean-ups.This will become a regular six-monthly event.