Sediment Traps
Sediment traps are simple, low-cost excavations in a watercourse or near a waterbody that capture and reduce the downstream movement of gravel, sand, and silt.
Tools & Solutions
Living Water wants better outcomes for the environment, the economy and New Zealanders – this means finding solutions for healthy freshwater ecosystems and sustainable dairying to thrive side by side.
We’re focused on trialling solutions that can be taken to scale and that will create real change - it’s why DOC and Fonterra are working together and is the purpose of our work. This includes physical tools that are designed to fulfil a particular action for freshwater improvement in the landscape, as well as approaches, processes, ways of working or system changes that move us towards more sustainable dairying and healthier freshwater ecosystems.
As we gather results, we’ll see which solutions can be scaled across catchments or regions, how that might be done (what support and capacity does the farming sector and communities need to get there), and how much it might cost.
Farm scale tools
Floating Wetlands
Trialling growing aquatic plants growing on a buoyant mat to capture incoming contaminants
Farm Impact Reduction
Trialling a range of on-farm mitigation tools to reduce the impact of nutrients and sediments on waterways
Powell’s Road Waterway Enhancement
Demonstrating new ways of sustainably managing a District Council “classified drain”
Lower Waituna Creek Transformation Project
A multi-phase restoration, wetland reconnection and water management project
Farm Environment Plan App
Digitised up-to-date environmental action plans for farmers
COMPLETED
Fine Particle Fertiliser Application Demonstration Project
Can nitrogen fertiliser use be reduced without compromising pasture growth?
COMPLETED
Nitrogen and Phosphorous Filter Trials
Are nutrient filters a practical solution for farmers to reduce their impact on water quality?
COMPLETED
Hydro-seeding Trial
Trialling planting hydro-seeding native sedge seeds in riparian zones to determine success and cost vs conventional planting
COMPLETED
Biodiversity Assessments on Farm
Engaging farmers with biodiversity on their farms
COMPLETED
Water Primrose (Ludwigia) Control
Reducing the biomass of invasive macrophyte Ludwigia by aerial spraying with drones, rather than hand weeding or excavation
COMPLETED
Tradescantia Trial
Can we control an invasive weed with Brazilian beetles?
COMPLETED
Low Cost Wetland Construction
Wetlands can improve water quality, create habitat for wildlife as well as enhance the attractiveness and value of rural properties and can be easy to construct
COMPLETED
Catchment scale tools
Detention Bund Trial
Determining whether detention bunds can effectively manage peak run off and reduce sediment in Northland
Ararira-LII Catchment Project
Trialling a catchment wide approach to managing drains and waterways
Waituna Catchment Nutrient Reduction Project
Reduce the rate of sediment and nutrients originating from on-farm and off-farm activities
Reducing Contaminants Using Peak Run Off Control Structures
Using simple structures to manage peak flows
Catchment Condition Survey
A simple method to gain an understanding of the current state of a catchment
COMPLETED
Catchment Action Prioritisation Tool (CAPTure)
A GIS based tool to assist community groups and landowers in smaller catchments to prioritese actions for freshwater improvement
COMPLETED
Physiographics Project
Helping landowners to better understand where to put contaminant management interventions to improve water quality leaving farms
COMPLETED
Ecosystem Services
Testing the usefulness of taking an ecosystems services approach for project planning
COMPLETED
Social tools
Waimā Waitai Waiora Partnership Project
Collaborative project incorporating sustainable land management practices and the principles of mātauranga Māori to reduce sediment into the Wairoa River
Maori Engagement and Collaboration
Helping to build mana whenua capacity and capability to restore Kaitiakitanga
Waituna Lagoon – Monitoring & Evaluation Approach
A tool to help ensure all the partners are aligned and working collectively toward our agreed outcomes
Predator Control Strategy
Engaging the whole community to achieve outcomes for the environment
Increasing wildlife habitat areas in a farming landscape
Working with landowners to acquire land for environmental outcomes
COMPLETED
Incubate - Establishing a Community Trust
Creating a community-led approach for environmental management
COMPLETED
SPRINT Planning
Taking a new approach to strategic planning
COMPLETED