Wai Kōkopu, the community-led programme to replenish and revitalise the health of the Waihī Estuary.
The Waihī estuary, located in Maketū, is in a poor and declining ecological state and does not consistently meet guidelines for safe swimming and shellfish gathering.
Our programme is on a mission to change this. Together, with the community, we are harnessing the power of catchment-wide collaboration and innovation to build healthy, more resilient waterways that will heal the Waihī estuary.
The unhealthy state of the Waihī estuary
One of the worst
It’s one of the five most degraded estuaries in the country.
Lost 97% of wetlands
Just 3% of the wetlands that once supported large native bird and fish populations remain.
430%
E. Coli levels in the estuary continue to rise and are around 430% higher than what is safe to eat.
Unsafe food gathering
Poor freshwater quality feeding the estuary has resulted in seagrass loss, algal blooms and shellfish that are regularly unsafe to eat.
High nitrogen
Nitrogen and phosphorus loads to the estuary are high; the nitrogen load may need to reduce by around 60% over time.
Unsafe swimming
Mahinga kai (natural resource) and recreational values have declined.
Our programme
To return the Waihī estuary to a healthy ecological state, we are focusing on initiatives from bespoke environmental farm plans to riparian planting and educational sessions at a sub-catchment and catchment level.
By fostering awareness and shared responsibility for the health of the Waihī Estuary, we hope to empower our community to embrace better practices, decisions and outcomes for the lands, waters and biodiversity.
Fly the catchment
The Waihi Estuary
Bay of Plenty
