Applied Research
It all started with WAI Wānaka hosting an urban stormwater workshop in August 2018 to connect experts and the community. The workshop attendees agreed the following research priorities for urban stormwater runoff into Roys Bay, Wānaka:
- Measure the quality, quantity and variability of runoff generated by urban areas in Wānaka.
- Track the movement and processing of urban runoff through Lake Wānaka, using analysis of sediments, trace metals, pathogens, nutrients and organic compounds as well as introduced tracers.
- Assess the impacts of urban runoff on lake ecosystem health by comparing ecosystem health in impacted and non-impacted areas. Lake ecosystem health biomonitoring protocols could be developed.
Following the workshop, the Wānaka Water Project granted $15,000 each to a University of Otago Masters student – Victoria Grant, and Melanie Vermeulen from Wildland Consultants. A second UoO Masters project studying Lake Wānaka macro-invertebrates proceeded alongside the two funded projects. WAI Wānaka, Friends of Bullock Creek and community volunteers have assisted the projects with water sampling and provided other support, including accommodation in Wānaka.
Understanding land use effects on the health of Wānaka’s urban streams and Lake Wānaka
Melanie Vermeulen has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) majoring in ecology. Her project focussed on understanding the land use effects on the health of Bullock Creek, Stoney Creek and the Water Race Drain.
Melanie’s research was also funded by Otago Fish & Game. She presented the results of her findings at a Stakeholder meeting in September 2020. You can read more about her life as a freshwater scientist in our blog.
- View full report here (Published June 2020).
- Read a summary version of the report.
Stormwater monitoring and research
Victoria Grant’s research project titled: ‘Stormwater monitoring and research in the Queenstown Lakes District: Wanaka, New Zealand’, forms part of her MSc at Otago University’s Geography Department.
Victoria’s project was designed to complement earlier citizen science work carried out by Touchstone and community volunteers. The research focussed on contaminant concentrations in various waterways and analysed the composition of stormwater runoff generated by urban areas in Wānaka.
- View full report here (Published March 2021).
- Read a summary version of the report.
The Wānaka Water Project has also supported the Lake Wānaka Roys Bay drifter study and further scientific studies of risks to rivers, streams, wetlands, aquifers and lakes in the Upper Clutha.
Related Blog posts:
- WAI Science Blog – historic research
- WAI Science Blog – current research
- WAI Science Blog – future research
Return to the Wānaka Water Project page or view the Community Catchment Plan overview.