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Lake Waihola at Jetty

The Lakes Waipori and Waihola wetland complex is situated on the lower Taieri Plain, 30 km south-west of Dunedin and 10 km from the coast.

The wetland area covers 2000 ha and is regarded as one of the largest and most significant remaining freshwater wetlands in New Zealand and supports a diverse and highly productive ecosystem. 

The lake is nutrient rich.

Lake Waihola covers an area of 62 ha and receives water directly from the surrounding agricultural and indigenous forest catchment.  Channels on the eastern side of the lake are connected to the lower Waipori River.

Lake Waipori covers an area of 200 hectares, a number of catchments contribute water to Lakes Waipori and Waihola. The Waipori River (3980ha), the Meggat Burn (3600 ha), the Main Drain (8000 ha) and the Contour Channel (5500 ha). Channels on the western side of the lake are connected to the lower Waipori River.

The Meggat Burn and Waipori River catchments are predominantly forestry plantation, with the latter having some sheep and beef farming in the lower reaches. The Lake Waihola catchment area is mostly sheep farming with small amounts of beef farming and some pine plantations. Areas covered by the West Taieri drainage schemes have significant amounts of dairying within their catchments.

The predominant landuse in the Main Drain catchment is dairying.  The Contour Channel catchment has intensive dairying along the foothills, between the Maungatuas and the Contour Channel drain.

 

Water Quality
Water quality data for this site

This dashboard shows information on the data collected by the regional councils and unitary authorities for water quality indicators, analysed as state and trend. Select an indicator to see the historical monitoring data.

  • State

    The state is represented by attribute bands in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 for most indicators.

  • Trend

    Trend shows how the quality of water is changing over time. Depending on the sampling history duration, five, ten and fifteen year timescales are available:

Phosphorus

Total Phosphorus
State
{{TP.StateScore | uppercase}}
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N/A
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Trend
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Total Phosphorus sample history at this site

Showing:
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Total Phosphorus samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
mg/m³
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Total Phosphorus concentrations over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for Total Phosphorus are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
Lake ecological communities are healthy and resilient similar to natural reference conditions
B
Lake ecological communities are slightly impacted by additional algal and plant growth arising from nutrients levels that are elevated above natural conditions
C
Lake ecological communities are moderately impacted by additional algal and plant growth arising from nutrients levels that are elevated well above natural reference conditions
National bottom line: Annual median 50 mg/m³
D
Lake ecological communities have undergone or are at high risk of a regime shift to a persistent, degraded state, due to impacts of elevated nutrients leading to excessive algal growth and/or plant growth, as well as from losing oxygen in bottom waters of deep lakes
 Download data

Nitrogen

Nitrogen

Total Nitrogen
State
{{TN.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('TN', TN.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('TN', TN.StateScore)}}
Trend
{{trendMsg('TN', TN)}}

Total Nitrogen sample history at this site

Showing:
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Total Nitrogen samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
mg/m³
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Total Nitrogen concentrations over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for Total Nitrogen are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
Lake ecological communities are healthy and resilient similar to natural reference conditions
B
Lake ecological communities are slightly impacted by additional algal and plant growth arising from nutrients levels that are elevated above natural conditions
C
Lake ecological communities are moderately impacted by additional algal and plant growth arising from nutrients levels that are elevated well above natural reference conditions
National bottom line: 750 mg/m³ for seasonally stratified and brackish lakes. 800 mg/m³ for polymictic lakes.
D
Lake ecological communities have undergone or are at high risk of a regime shift to a persistent, degraded state, due to impacts of elevated nutrients leading to excessive algal growth and/or plant growth, as well as from losing oxygen in bottom waters of deep lakes
 Download data

Nitrogen

Ammoniacal Nitrogen
State
{{NH4N.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('NH4N', NH4N.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('NH4N', NH4N.StateScore)}}
Trend
{{trendMsg('NH4N', NH4N)}}

Ammoniacal Nitrogen sample history at this site

Showing:
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Ammoniacal Nitrogen samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
mg NH4-N/l
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Ammoniacal Nitrogen concentrations over the selected time period.  These monitoring data have not been pH adjusted.  You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for Ammonia (toxicity) are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
99% species protection level: No observed effect on any species tested
B
95% species protection level: Starts impacting occasionally on the 5% most sensitive species
National bottom line: Annual median 0.24 mg NH4-N/L. Annual 95th percentile 0.40 mg NH4-N/L (milligrams ammoniacal-nitrogen per litre).
C
80% species protection level: Starts impacting regularly on the 20% most sensitive species (reduced survival of most sensitive species)
D
Starts approaching acute impact level (ie risk of death) for sensitive species
 Download data

Algae

Algae

Chlorophyll a
State
{{CHLA.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('CHLA', CHLA.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('CHLA', CHLA.StateScore)}}
Trend
{{trendMsg('CHLA', CHLA)}}

Chlorophyll a sample history at this site

Showing:
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Chlorophyll a samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
mg/m³
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Chlorophyll a concentrations over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for Chlorophyll a are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
Lake ecological communities are healthy and resilient, similar to natural reference conditions
B
Lake ecological communities are slightly impacted by additional algal and/or plant growth arising from nutrient levels that are elevated above natural conditions
C
Lake ecological communities are moderately impacted by additional algal and plant growth arising from nutrient levels that are elevated well above natural reference conditions. Reduced water clarity is likely to affect habitat available for native macrophytes
National bottom line: Annual median 12 mg/m³. Annual maximum 60 mg/m³.
D
Lake ecological communities have undergone or are at high risk of a regime shift to a persistent, degraded state (without native macrophyte/seagrass cover), due to impacts of elevated nutrients leading to excessive algal and/or plant growth, as well as from losing oxygen in bottom waters of deep lakes
 Download data

Algae

Cyanobacteria
State
{{CYANOTOT.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('CYANOTOT', CYANOTOT.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('CYANOTOT', CYANOTOT.StateScore)}}
Trend
{{trendMsg('CYANOTOT', CYANOTOT)}}

Cyanobacteria sample history at this site

Showing:
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Cyanobacteria samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
mm³/l
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Cyanobacteria concentrations over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for Cyanobacteria are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
Risk exposure from cyanobacteria is no different to that in natural conditions (from any contact with fresh water)
B
Low risk of health effects from exposure to cyanobacteria (from any contact with fresh water)
C
Moderate risk of health effects from exposure to cyanobacteria (from any contact with fresh water)
National bottom line: 80th percentile = 1.8 mm³/L biovolume equivalent of potentially toxic cyanobacteria OR 10 mm³/L total biovolume of all cyanobacteria.
D
High health risks (eg, respiratory, irritation and allergy symptoms) exist from exposure to cyanobacteria (from any contact with fresh water)
 Download data

Clarity

Secchi disc depth
State
{{SECCHI.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('SECCHI', SECCHI.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('SECCHI', SECCHI.StateScore)}}
Trend
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Secchi disc depth sample history at this site

Showing:
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Secchi disc depth samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
metres
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying Secchi disc depth measurements over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The grades for Secchi disc depth are defined as follows:

A
Water clarity is greater than 7 metres in depth
B
Water clarity is greater than 3 metres and less than 7 metres in depth
C
Water clarity is greater than 1 metre and less than 3 metres in depth
D
Water clarity is less than 1 metre in depth
 Download data

Bacteria

E. coli
State
{{ECOLI.StateScore | uppercase}}
{{stateMsg('ECOLI', ECOLI.StateScore)}}
N/A
{{stateMsg('ECOLI', ECOLI.StateScore)}}
Trend
{{trendMsg('ECOLI', ECOLI)}}

E. coli sample history at this site

Showing:
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E. coli samples for Lake Waihola at Jetty
n/100ml
Date

What is this graph showing me?

This graph is displaying E. coli concentrations over the selected time period. You can adjust this period by changing the dropdowns. These records form the basis for the state and trend indicators displayed on the dashboard.  Find out about how State and Trend are calculated.

Monitoring data are displayed from 2004 onwards (where available).  Data displaying from the current year (2024) may not have gone through council quality assurance processes and should be treated as unverified.  

 

What do the attribute band icons mean?

The bands for E. coli are as outlined in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020:

A
For at least half the time, the estimated risk is <1 in 1000 (0.1% risk). The predicted average infection risk is 1%*.
B
For at least half the time, the estimated risk is <1 in 1000 (0.1% risk). The predicted average infection risk is 2%*.
C
For at least half the time, the estimated risk is <1 in 1000 (0.1% risk). The predicted average infection risk is 3%*.
D
20-30% of the time, the estimated risk is >=50 in 1000 (>5% risk). The predicted average infection risk is >3%*.
E
For more than 30% of the time, the estimated risk is >=50 in 1000 (>5% risk). The predicted average infection risk is >7%*.
* The predicted average infection risk is the overall average infection to swimmers based on a random exposure on a random day, ignoring any possibility of not swimming during high flows or when a surveillance advisory is in place (assuming that the E. coli concentration follows a lognormal distribution). Actual risk will generally be less if a person does not swim during high flows.
 Download data
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