River flows Data

River flow is the quantity of water passing a point over a certain time. Each river or stream has its own natural flow characteristics, such as peak flows following rain or high spring flows from snow melt. Overall, this affects how much water is available for irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectricity generation, and recreational activities. River flows also influence a waterway’s physical form, habitat, and ecological processes like migration, spawning, and food supply for aquatic life.

This dataset relates to the "The geographic pattern of river flows" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

Regional councils issue resource consents for the taking of fresh water for various purposes, including irrigation, drinking, hydroelectricity, and industry. Water can be taken from surface water or groundwater.

The file provides the primary source and primary use of the water take for each consented take.

Flow is the volume of water passing a point over a certain time, and provides information about the availability of water for people and the environment. Overall, this affects how much water is available for irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectricity generation, and recreational activities. River flows also influence a waterway’s physical form, habitat, and ecological processes like migration, spawning, and food supply for aquatic life.

The file provides the estimated impact of upstream consents on the modelled median flow of a particular reach in the digital river network. This is calculated by upstream total consented takes by median flow.