Aquawatch Project – Arapārera River Monitoring
Tracking the Health of the Arapārera River
The Aquawatch Project is a community-led river monitoring initiative delivered by the Arapārera Community Catchment Group in partnership with local landowners, community volunteers, Auckland Council, and Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust.
The purpose of the project is to better understand, protect, and restore the health of the Arapārera River by combining biodiversity assessment, continuous water-quality monitoring, and long-term community stewardship.
Project Background
In early 2025, ACCG undertook environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling at six sites across the catchment after completing specialist training and field workshops. This innovative method detects DNA naturally shed by organisms into the water and provided a snapshot of biodiversity and stream health at the time of sampling.
Results confirmed the presence of expected species such as eel, īnanga, cow, sheep, and rat, but also revealed an exciting discovery — two species of freshwater mussels, including Echyridella aucklandica, a nationally vulnerable and culturally significant taonga species. Its presence signals high water quality and strengthened the case for ongoing monitoring and restoration.
Aquawatch Project - FAQs
About the Project
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The Aquawatch Project is a community-led river monitoring programme run by the Arapārera Community Catchment Group. It uses floating sensor technology to track the health of the Arapārera River over time.
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It helps us understand how the river responds to rainfall, seasons, land use, and restoration planting, and supports:
Better restoration planning
Stronger funding applications
Long-term protection of the river
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The project is made possible by:
Local landowners who host monitoring sites
Community volunteers
Auckland Council
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
The wider Arapārera community
Monitoring & Equipment
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Aquawatch sensors collect data every 15 minutes on:
Water temperature
pH
Turbidity (water clarity)
Dissolved oxygen
Conductivity
River flow (water quantity)
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The sensors:
Float on the river surface
Are securely tethered in place
Are solar and battery powered
Send data wirelessly
Do not require any infrastructure on private land
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The units are installed at strategic sites along the Arapārera River as part of the wider Mountains to Sea monitoring network.
Data & Getting Involved
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Yes — hosting landowners can access and view the data from their section of the river.
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Updates are shared through:
Community newsletters
Project update articles on this website
Community meetings and events
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You can support the Aquawatch Project by:
Staying informed
Volunteering when opportunities arise
Hosting equipment (if suitable)
Supporting local restoration efforts
Aquawatch Site Images
Want to see where the Aquawatch units are installed and what each monitoring site looks like? You can explore real images from each location below and follow the progress as the project develops.
Images will be updated over time as new installations, maintenance, and monitoring activity takes place.
Project Updates
We regular provide update articles to share progress from the field, early data insights, and seasonal changes.
You can view the latest Aquawatch Project updates below.