Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of existing soil conservation information that is relevant to the Middle Waikato Pilot Project.

Soil conservation work has been carried out in the Middle Waikato Zone before and following the implementation of Project Watershed. This report presents research and monitoring results available to date, to determine the environmental changes that have occurred or can be expected to occur in the Middle Waikato Zone. The findings will lend support to determining the benefit of soil conservation work in the Middle Waikato Zone. Primarily, only research and monitoring results directly relating to the Middle Waikato Zone or research in areas similar to the Middle Waikato Zone are included.

Middle Waikato Pilot Project: A Review of Soil Conservation Research and Catchment Environmental Monitoring [PDF, 755 KB]

Contents
Acknowledgements		I
Executive Summary		1
1	Introduction	1
1.1	Background	1
1.2	Framework	1
2	Soil Conservation Research Information	1
2.1	Hill Country Sustainable Management Research Update - Whatawhata Research Station	1
2.1.1	Introduction	1
2.1.2	Water Quality (Quinn, Stroud)	2
2.1.3	Bugs (Donnison, Ross, Thorrold)	2
2.1.4	Stream Ecology (Collier et al.)	3
2.1.5	Grazing and Runoff (Elliott et al.)	3
2.1.6	Cattle Behaviour (Bagshaw)	4
2.1.7	Terrestrial Biodiversity (Burns, Dodd)	4
2.1.8	Poplar Planting (Parminter, Dodd, Mackay)	4
2.1.9	Forecasting – the 30 Year Picture	5
2.1.10	Summary Points	6
2.2	Report for EW on Soil Conservation Benefits	6
2.2.1	Introduction	6
2.2.2	Benefits of Pasture/Stock Management	6
2.2.3	Benefits of Cultivation Practices	7
2.2.4	Benefits of Forest Management	8
2.2.5	Benefits of Fenced Riparian Strips (No Planting)	8
2.2.6	Benefits of Riparian Tree Planting	9
2.2.7	Benefits of Pole Planting on Slopes (Willows and Poplars Space-Planted in Pasture)	10
2.2.8	Benefit of Blanket Tree Planting on Slopes (Afforestation with Pines or other Timber Species)	11
2.2.9	Benefits of Land Retirement on Slopes (Scrub and Bush Reversion)	13
2.2.10	Benefits of Soil Conservation Engineering Measures (Detention Dams, Debris Dams, Gully Control Flumes, Earthflow Dewatering, Riverbank Stabilisation)	14
2.3	Suspended Sediment in the Waitomo Stream	14
2.3.1	Introduction	14
2.3.2	Waitomo Land-Care Group Activities	15
2.3.3	Data Collection and Analysis Approach	15
2.3.4	Main Findings	15
2.3.5	Monitoring Recommendations	16
2.3.6	Summary Points	17
2.4	Economic Analysis of Soil Conservation Benefits	17
2.4.1	Introduction	17
2.4.2	Effectiveness of Soil Conservation	18
2.4.3	Beneficiaries of Soil Conservation	18
2.4.4	Contributory Effects	20
2.4.5	Quantification and Distribution of Soil Conservation Benefits	21
2.4.6	Summary Points	23
3	Catchment Environmental Monitoring	24
3.1	Middle Waikato Zone Monitoring Programme	24
3.1.1	Introduction	24
3.1.2	Soil Stability	25
3.1.3	Suspended Sediment Snapshots	26
3.1.4	Riparian Characteristics Survey	28
3.1.5	Photo Points	32
3.1.6	Water Temperature	33
3.1.7	Stream Ecological Health	34
3.2	Historic Photos	34
4	Concluding Remarks	38
5	References	40
5.1	Hicks and Dyck	40
5.2	Whatawhata (1996-2004)	44
5.3	Additional References from EW reports	51
Appendix 1: Aspects of Water Quality		54
Appendix 2: Photo Points – Examples of Photo Points from the 2004 and 2005 Pokaiwhenua and Mangare Catchment Surveys		55

Middle Waikato pilot project: A review of soil conservation research and catchment environmental monitoring

Abstract