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The local community site of Karekare on the west coast
of Auckland
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Waicare | ||
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link to WWC water quality info http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/CnlSer/pbr/beaches/waterquality.asp#results |
| This site is sponsored by Karekare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (KKRRT), but not all the views expressed in this site are necessarily those of the KKRRT. We welcome brief comments or criticisms about items or issues on this website (email website editor). We reserve the right to edit items for length. Enjoy your visit. Last updated August 1, 2004 . |
Waicare
is running as an extension of our Karekare Landcare group. We are watching
how the streams react over the year, and finding what stream life we have.
The results so far after three sets of testing seem very promising. Waicare
Restoration Ecologist, Ruby Jones introduced us to the project at a Landcare
meeting, and has helped us do the first testing in the field. The first
testing in the field started with upper Company stream where we were ecstatic
to find a small koura (fresh water crayfish) in our nets about 3cm long.
The second test was at lower Opal Pools Stream, 3 days after the "weather
bomb" had occurred! We were surprised to measure the water clarity
at 88cm visibility despite the recent rain. We also found more koura and
some fresh water shrimps (there are shrimps in the photo below with a
native fish) and an eel swam in for us to add to our count. 
We
have have since tested both ends of Karekare Stream near McCreadie's Paddock
(the ARC campsite) and by the beach carpark in which the water clarity
was 100 percent each time and the invertebrate life excellent. Our tests
have not detected any changes to water quality over the length of Karekare
stream and we even caught a fish near the beach carpark. 
In
all our tests we collect data for: air temperature, stream temperature,
clarity, pH (for acidity or alkalinity), dissolved Oxygen, Nitrates, Nitrites,
and soluble Phosphorous. We would like to do more testing for bacteria,
and are arranging some BOD bottles that will allow us to do this. After
loading the data onto the Waicare database, Ruby said, and I quote, "the
streams look like they are in good shape!". The results of the test
we have done so far can be viewed on the Waicare web site 
So
it's good news so far. Anyone wanting to join in is welcome, the fishing
for water life is great for the kids and adults alike, it's amazing what
stream life we find. by Julia Moore