This summer the Waikato Regional Council is undertaking a special monitoring programme of 18 coastal sites on the Coromandel Peninsula that are popular swimming locations.

The programme will measure water quality and assess what effects rivers, streams and other factors may have on these locations.

The Waikato Regional Council will undertake a special water monitoring programme at 18 coastal sites on the coromandel Peninsula this summer. Photo: File

Results will be used to support priority stream restoration works programmes and thereby continue to preserve the Coromandel's water quality.

This work will also help prioritise the council's coastal water quality science projects and the development of future monitoring programmes.

WRC Coasts, Land and Wetlands team leader Dr Hilke Giles says the council wants to improve its knowledge about the water quality at these 18 locations.

'This programme will give us an indication of the general water quality at the time of the year when population pressures are at the peak and that will inform our future work.”

This programme follows a range of matters raised by the community through harbour and catchment management works programmes, and community engagement through land care activities.

The sites are spread around the peninsula on both the east and west coasts and will be conducted jointly by the council's integrated catchment management and science and strategy teams.

Coromandel area manager Emily O'Donnell says the region generally has good water quality, but concerns have been raised about sites often used for swimming and recreation over summer.

These concerns include elevated faecal bacteria levels, build ups of algae at times, and smells from water in sheltered areas.

'We're not aware of anything that poses a current or imminent risk to people,” says Emily. 'But this is about being proactive in response to community concerns and checking things out, and ensuring we can enjoy these amazing coastal locations.

'Our testing programme will help us determine if there are potential problems or sites where we need to investigate further and how we go about addressing any issues.”

Hilke says monitoring will include a range of standard water quality tests concerning oxygen, nutrients, suspended sediments and faecal bacteria.

'Where faecal bacteria levels are high we will also send samples to the Cawthron Institute for faecal microbial source tracking,” says Hilke. 'This method uses ‘genetic markers' to identify the presence and relative contributions of human and ruminant animal sources of faecal contamination.”

Findings from the testing will be known in the middle of 2015 and will help determine any extra works or other activities needed to improve water quality.

In the past 10 years significant gains to improve water quality had been made already around the Coromandel with fencing and planting of streams, wetlands, forest fragments and erosion prone areas.

To date more than 160 landowners, along with council and others, have planted nearly 145,000 eco-sourced native plants, 160 kilometres of fencing, and more than 1000 hectares retired from active use for environmental reasons.

The 18 sites to be monitored include specific locations at:

• Wigmore Stream
• Kuaotunu Stream
• Stewart Stream
• Ramarama Stream
• Taputapuatea Stream
• Tarapatiki Stream
• Tohetea Stream
• Pepe Stream
• Graham's Creek
• Pitoone Stream
• Otama River
• Otahu River
• Taiwawe Stream
• Purangi River
• Whangarahi Stream
• Manaia River
• Te Puru Stream
• Te Mata Stream