The doors to our Whitianga and Paeroa offices will be closed for the summer break from 4pm on Friday, 20 December, while our Taupō and Hamilton offices will close for the summer break at 1pm on Tuesday, 24 December. All offices will reopen on Monday, 6 January 2025. To report air or water pollution, unsafe water activities in or on a river, lake or harbour, or make a general enquiry or information request during this time, call us 24/7 on 0800 800 401.

Close alert

Extent of freshwater wetlands

TR 2022/19
  1. Services »
  2. Publications »
  3. TR2022/19
On this page:

Report: TR 2022/19

Authors: Karen Denyer (Papawera Consulting), Craig Briggs (Waikato Regional Council)

Abstract

This technical report documents the extent of freshwater wetlands in the Waikato region based on 2018 land cover.

The current (as of 2018) extent of freshwater wetland in the Waikato region is 33,268 hectares, covering approximately 1 per cent of the region’s total land area. The largest remaining areas, Kopuatai Peat Dome and Whangamarino Wetland, are internationally significant.

Eighty-three per cent of the remaining areas of freshwater wetland in the Waikato region occur within the most threatened environments (Category 1 and 2).

The Waikato, Hauraki and Matamata-Piako districts collectively hold 78 per cent of the region’s extent of freshwater wetland. Extensive areas remain in the lower Waikato Valley and Hauraki Plains, where the internationally significant Ramsar wetlands (Kopuatai Peat Dome and Whangamarino Wetland) are found.

 

Read or download the report