Sherry River Methods• aspartoftheMotuekaICMprogramawaterqualitymonitoringstudyintheSherryRiver catchmentwasstartedin2001continuingtopresentday• astudyoncowherdscrossingtheriverwasundertakenin2001• in2007–08,TDCandtheSherryCatchmentGroupundertooksamplingofsevenofthe tributarycreeks• in2008–2009acampaignofstormeventsamplingwasundertakenbyNIWA• therelativeloadingsofthesewaterways(hotspots)werethenusedtoprioritiseon-farmaction• individualfarmplans(TDC)toinstituteBMP’scompletedin2008

Findings and Action• cowscrossingtheriver-majorsourceofwaterpollution• 4cowcrossingsreplacedwithfarmbridges• improvementinE. colilevelsattributablemainlytobridging• 40%E. coliloadingsattheBlueRocksitewereduetofourtributaries• furtherimprovementsareexpectedforotherBMP’s• individualfarmplansinitiatedthefollowingactions: --riparianareasandstreamsfencedandplanted --wetlandsprotected --greaterawarenessandstewardshipbycommunity --improvedfarmmanagement

Recent trends UsingtheNIWA‘TimesTrends’statisticalanalysispackage,theSeasonalKendal(flowadjusted)testfor8yearsofmonthlyE. colidataattheBlueRocksiteshowsadeclineapproachingrecreationalqualityin2011.

ReferencesDavies-Colley R.J.; Nagels J.W.; Smith R.A.; Young R.G.; Phillips C.J.

(2004). Water quality impact of a dairy cow herd crossing a stream. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38:569–576.

Fenemor, A.; Young, R. Phillips; C. Davies-Colley, R.; Stuart, B.; Allen, W.; and T. James. (2011). Facilitating voluntary action to reduce rural land

use impacts in the Motueka River catchment, New Zealand. Proceedings: IWA DIPCON 2011, Rotorua N.Z. 18-23 Sept 2011.

Wilkinson R. J.; McKergow, L. A.; Davies-Colley R. J.; Ballantine D. J.; Young R. G. (2010). Modelling E. coli in the Motueka and Sherry Rivers.

Proceedings: IWA DIPCON 2011, Rotorua N.Z. 18-23 Sept 2011.

Aim• improvewaterqualitysothattheSherryRivermeetsrecreationaluseguidelinesbyfarmBMP’s

The

- A Success Story

www.niwa.co.nzNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.

PO Box 11-115 Hamilton 3251, New ZealandPh +64-7-856 7026, fax +64-7-856 0151, email j.nagels@niwa.cri.nz

Should we swim here?

Figure 1: Monitoring the Sherry River.

Figure 2: White’s Farm Bridge (2003). The water is naturally coloured, hence the name ‘Sherry’.

Figure 3: The spring 2009 field day planting of a retired wetland swale on Dennis Meads place brought the researchers, council, farmers and

wider local community together.

Figure 4: Unveiling of the Catchment Group Sign at Matariki, ICM workshop, October 2010 - Harry & Joan

Hancock, A Fenemor, B Stuart.

Pho

to N

ick

Dal

gety

, MA

F

Figure 5: Stock exclusion, Loughrey property 2009 - plant establishment may not happen over night

but will affect water quality.

John Nagels NIWA, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton 3251, New ZealandTrevor James Tasman District Council, Private Bag 4 , Richmond 7031Rob Davies-Colley NIWA, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, 3251Rob Merrilees NIWA 217 Akersten Street, Port Nelson 7040Andrew Fenemor Landcare Research, Private Bag 6, Nelson 7042Andrew Burton Tasman District Council, Private Bag 4 , Richmond 7031Barbara Stuart NZ Landcare Trust, c/- Cable Bay Farm, NelsonAroon Parshotam NIWA, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, 3251Roger Young Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson 7042

Figure6. E. coli dataover8yearsintheSherryRiveratBlueRockinrelationto

timeswhendairybridgeswerecommissioned.

“It may not happen overnight, but it will happen”

E-C

oli

(adj

uste

d)

Date

Sen slope trend for E-Coli (adjusted)

1/01/03 1/01/04 1/01/05 1/01/06 1/01/07 1/01/08 1/01/09 1/01/10 1/01/11 1/01/12

-200

0

200

400

600

800

Bridging

Rachel Hunter

Sher

ry C

atch

men

t