Designing Freshwater Monitoring Programmes to Detect Early Improvement

This short guidance document is to support the design of freshwater monitoring programmes to detect early improvement and is for regional councils, government, and multi-agency catchment groups. Guidance prepared by Our Land and Water (Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai) National Science Challenge, New Zealand This guidance summarises the work of two working groups convened by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge. This document includes considerations for designing freshwater monitoring programmes, a recommended 5-step process, describes the key elements of the Mitigation Effectiveness Monitoring Design Framework, and outlines what is required to implement improved freshwater monitoring programmes in New Zealand. Considerations For Designing Freshwater Monitoring Programmes

• Monitoring programmes must detect early improvement.
• We need more than 'State of the Environment' monitoring.
• Regional councils need to adopt new technologies.
• New technologies must have high-quality guidelines for use.