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New guide to Southland's monitored estuaries available

Environment Southland has been running a monitoring programme on estuary health since 2000, starting out on the four largest estuaries on the south coast: Waikawa Harbour, New River, Jacobs River and Toetoes estuaries. Haldane Estuary and Bluff Harbour were added by 2005, and in 2008 monitoring began in Waimatuku Estuary, Waiau Lagoon and Freshwater Estuary on Stewart Island.

The booklet provides an overview of what an estuary is, why they are important, what the problems are, and what we look for and assess as part of our monitoring programme.

You can find the booklet and a summary of Southland's estuaries health on our website: https://www.es.govt.nz/environment/water/estuaries.