Joint project with Zealandia Consulting for: Whangarei District Council
The health and environmental state of New Zealand’s streams and rivers continues to decline due to natural and human influenced land use changes. Monitoring remains essential to identifying issues and opportunities for improvement within our waterways. Watercourse assessments are typically conducted throughout urban New Zealand using the Watercourse Assessment Methodology: Infrastructure and Ecology version 2.0.
In 2022 Zealandia Consulting was contracted by Whangārei District Council (WDC) to provide a stream assessment for the heavily modified 16.6 sq km Raumanga catchment. This modification includes straightening of channel meanders and reclamation of the historical floodplain. The purpose of this assessment was to
develop a baseline data to monitor ongoing change;
provide key environmental and asset information for the network discharge consent applications; and
enable a systematic approach to identify issues and options for remedial, mitigation, and improvement works.
Images of team and gear used on the Raumanga Stream-walk
Working in partnership with Lynker Analytics an opportunity was seen to refresh the assessment process using 360 video. A field survey was conducted by Damian Young (Zealandia Consulting) accompanied by Dr Manue Martinez (Chief Research Scientist of M2M Consulting) and Opania George (Te Parawhau Kaitiaki).
The assessment involved travelling (by canoe or on foot) up selected stream survey reaches. Video and associated audio commentary was captured using a GoPro Max 360 Action camera. This provided a 360° view of the stream with the intent of capturing all stream assets and attributes for post desktop review.
GoPro Max 360 footage taken on the Raumanga/lower Waiarohia Stream
Additional photos of important assets were also taken using a Blackview BV9800 and iPhone 12 mobile phones. The data were stored on Zealandia Consulting’s corporate and backup drive. Within each stream survey reach, information was also collected via an online field app (Esri Field Maps). The app was used to pinpoint locations of interest (e.g., asset outfall) to record their attributes and upload images. Additionally, desktop data population was completed using Web Editor via Esri ArcGIS® online.
This has enabled more effective data capture as well as seamless representation of deliverables for all parties to utilize efficiently in a wider range of ways. An on-site stream assessment or stream-walk was conducted in August 2022, covering 14km of the Raumanga stream. Tools and technology used for the Streamwalk included a high resolution GoPro Max 360 camera and a data capture application developed and designed to capture data directly using a smartphone.
The navigable lower reaches were accessed by a well-equipped canoe and the higher reaches were accessed by foot. Post processing and tools developed enabled open-source access through Mapillary © (available in 3D imagery format) for sharing with the wider community. This approach has resulted in many benefits, integration opportunities, and insights readily accessible for stakeholders and the general public.
The Raumanga Stream view is publicly available on Mapillary.
Panoramic still images extracted from GoPro 360 footage, presented in Mapillary of Raumanga Stream.
The intent of the stream assessment is to inform other councils and organisations across New Zealand in order to share valuable insights which could be of benefit to many, but also to engage in active dialogue with other practitioners to continue improving the effective communication and utilization of cultural, environmental and engineering data to better inform understanding of our awa and the practical improvements to stream environments and infrastructure that are possible and needed.
This approach has resulted in many benefits, integration opportunities, and insights readily accessible for stakeholders and the general public. It has enabled more effective d ata capture as well as seamless representation of deliverables for all parties to utilize efficiently in a wider range of ways.
Deliverables
Raumanga/Lower Waiarohia Stream Assessment, Whangārei, Te Tai Tokerau/Northland
Watercourse Assessment Report
Raumanga Stream Geodatabase (Esri ArcGIS® pro)
Esri ArcGIS® Pro Field app customised by Lynker Analytics for in stream data capture
Raumanga GoPro 360 footage (Mapillary ©)
Raumanga Stream Weed Management advice.