Environmental monitoring technical reports

Monitoring and reporting on the state of the regional environment is a core activity for the Council.

Air quality - BTEX levels

The Council measures the concentrations of the volatile organic compounds benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). This monitoring takes place at sites near industries that emit BTEX and at urban sites to determine exposure levels for the general population.

Taranaki BTEX survey 2019 (837 KB pdf) (single document only)

Analysis of air quality-related incidents and complaints

This January 2021 memorandum analyses the causes, types, and degrees of compliance associated with air quality-related incidents in Taranaki since 2011, when the current Regional Air Quality Plan for Taranaki came into effect.

Analysis of air quality-related incidents and complaints (691 KB pdf) (single document only)

Freshwater ecological health

Compliance biomonitoring

As well as monitoring ecological health at dedicated sites under its state of the environment monitoring programme, the Council carries out similar monitoring at scores of other sites as part of its consent compliance monitoring programmes. The latter results are presented here in summary form.

Compliance biomonitoring summary 2019-2020 (295 KB pdf) (single document only)

Freshwater physical & chemical state

Physical and chemical ('physicochemical') measurements are used to assess pressures on the health of rivers. The measures include bacteria levels, water clarity, conductivity and acidity (pH levels), nutrient levels, dissolved oxygen levels and the amount of oxygen consumed in the breakdown of organic matter. In all, there are 13 individual measures, which the Council now monitors at 13 sites.

Freshwater physicochemical monitoring 2018-2019 (2.8 MB pdf) Earlier reports

Recreational use of coast, rivers and lakes

The Council monitors public access and amenity values, including recreational attributes, of the region's rivers, lakes and coast. The monitoring is undertaken periodically with public surveys and field observations.

Freshwater & coast recreation survey 2019-2020 (1.8 MB pdf) Earlier reports