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Catlins Estuary

The Catlins Estuary is a large tidal lagoon located at Pounawea. It has a single tidal entrance that is always open, a large lower estuary basin, an upper estuary basin named Catlins Lake, and two dominant freshwater inflows from the Catlins and Owaka Rivers. The catchment is dominated by pasture (61%) and indigenous forest (20%).

This is a muddy estuary, with a moderate level of eutrophication, and significant habitat change over time. Fine sediment and eutrophication issues were evident in the relatively sheltered Catlins Lake and Owaka arm, and modification over time has caused a loss of estuary salt marsh.

The estuary supports a variety of substrate types, extensive areas of high-value seagrass beds, but very little salt marsh. It has excessive muddiness, a moderate level of eutrophication, plus the habitat’s modification has also been significant.

 

Estuary summary

What makes my estuary unique?

Explore the characteristics of this estuary

Overview

Estuary characteristics

  • Significant features
    • Haul out and habitat for New Zealand sealions
    • Large cockle beds
    • Important habitat for coastal birds including waders, shorebirds and waterfowl
    • High-value seagrass bed habitat
  • Total area
    830 hectares
  • Key rivers
    • Catlins River
    • Owaka River

Highlighted reports

These links are from your regional councils and unitary authorities and provide additional information about this estuary

Catlins Estuary Summary Report 2021-22 Fine Scale Monitoring Of Catlins Estuary - May 2017

Related factsheets

For more details on particular topics see these factsheets

Understanding estuaries Estuary types

Department of Conservation

Want to connect with restoration groups or explore your local estuary? You can find more information on the DOC’s interactive maps.

Restoring estuaries map Experiencing estuaries map

What's happening upstream?

See results from monitored river quality sites influencing this estuary

River quality

What's happening upstream?

The physical characteristics and health of estuaries are influenced by the rivers and streams flowing into them. For instance, when it rains the mud and contaminants generated on land can be washed into rivers and eventually flow into the estuary. The health of our rivers and streams can therefore be very important for Estuary Health, and understanding the upstream pressures can help with interpreting estuary monitoring data.

Monitoring is undertaken for a range of river health indicators (e.g., water quality and ecology) in many catchments across the region. Where there are monitored river catchments that influence this estuary, these are shown below. You can click through to view monitoring results from these River Quality sites to see current state and how health has changed over time.

What surrounds my estuary?

See land cover information from monitored catchments that surround this estuary

Land cover

What surrounds my estuary?

The physical characteristics and health of estuaries are influenced by local geography and the way we use our land. This is because estuaries are the receiving environments for many of our land use activities. Land cover information can be used as an indicator of land use, therefore knowing the surrounding land cover can help us understand which pressures might be affecting Estuary Health.

Where there is land cover information available for nearby catchments, these are listed below. These figures show the types of vegetation and built or natural features that surround the estuary margins and the rivers that flow into this estuary. You can click through to the Land Cover topic to see these land cover classes broken down into further detail, and view changes over time.

Monitored sites 2

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