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Draft:Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer

Coordinates: 40°51′57″S 172°46′39″E / 40.86583°S 172.77750°E / -40.86583; 172.77750
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Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer
View north along the Tākaka Valley
LocationGolden Bay / Mohua
Coordinates40°51′57″S 172°46′39″E / 40.86583°S 172.77750°E / -40.86583; 172.77750
TypeAquifer
Primary inflowsTākaka River, Waingaro River and karst uplands
Catchment area940 km2 (360 sq mi)

The Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer is a complex karst aquifer system beneath the Tākaka Valley in Golden Bay / Mohua in the South Island of New Zealand. The aquifer is the source of the water that flows from the renowned Te Waikoropupū Springs near Tākaka. Recharge of the aquifer occurs from a mix of sources, including water infiltrating from the channels of the Tākaka and Waingaro rivers. Discharge from the aquifer occurs at Te Waikoropupū Springs and submarine springs offshore.

In October 2023, the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer system and Te Waikoropupū Springs received protection through a water conservation order, the highest level of protection that a body of water can receive in New Zealand.

Description

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The aquifer system is located in the Tākaka River basin which covers an area of 940 km2 (360 sq mi) and rises to an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft) above sea level. The groundwater is contained within karstified Arthur Marble of Ordovician age.[1]

The Tākaka Valley has three main aquifers that are associated with differences in geology and lithology in the area. The three aquifers are the Tākaka Unconfined Gravel Aquifer, Tākaka Limestone Aquifer and the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer. These three aquifers exhibit both unconfined and confined characteristics, and there are complex interactions/connections between them and the surface water in rivers and streams in the area.[2]

The catchment area that drains to Te Waikoropupu Springs is around 714 km2 (276 sq mi). There are large areas of marble in the catchment area, including 141 km2 (54 sq mi) in the basin of the Tākaka River, with a further area of 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi) extending beyond the springs towards the sea.[3] Recharge of the portion of the aquifer that supplies the Te Waikoropupū Springs occurs in four zones:[4]

  • a section of about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of the Tākaka River
  • a section of about 4 km (2.5 mi) of the lower Waingaro River
  • an area of around 100 km2 (39 sq mi) of karst uplands on the east and west sides of the Tākaka Valley
  • around 49 km2 (19 sq mi) of terraces and flood plains in the middle of the Tākaka Valley

The karst aquifer cannot be considered as a single well-mixed reservoir.  Samples of water taken from different parts of the aquifer show different isotopic signatures and different ages. This complexity arises from diverse physical structures. The karst has many hydraulically connected fissures where the water flow may be slow. However, there are also conduits and caves where relatively fast flow occurs.[5]

Discharge from the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer occurs at Te Waikoropupū Springs and submarine springs offshore.[1]

Te Waikoropupū Springs

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Main article: Te Waikoropupū Springs

The Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer supplies Te Waikoropupū Springs, the largest springs in New Zealand.[1] The springs are included on the World Karst Aquifer Map.[6]

Te Waikoropupū Springs have the clearest water ever recorded outside of Antarctica with a median visibility of 62 m (203 ft).[7] The springs have a mean outflow of 13.4 m3/s and are the largest springs in New Zealand and amongst the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The water discharged from springs flows from a partly artesian aquifer with an estimated volume of 2.85 km3. The average transit time through the aquifer to the springs is 7.9 years.[8]

Water Conservation Order

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Yuill in 2024
Further information: Water conservation order

In 2022, a Golden Bay resident Andrew Yuill in association with Ngāti Tama Ki Te Waipounamu Trust applied to the Environment Court for a Water Conservation Order (WCO) to protect the Te Waikoropupū Springs, the aquifer and associated bodies of water.[9] In October 2023, the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer system and Te Waikoropupū Springs received protection through a water conservation order, the highest level of protection that a body of water can receive in New Zealand. A WCO receives its statutory standing through the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).[10] However, the Fast-track Approvals Act passed in 2024 overrides the RMA and can thus nullify the WCO.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Williams 2023, p. 2.
  2. ^ Thomas & Harvey 2013, p. 19.
  3. ^ Williams 2023, p. 4.
  4. ^ Williams 2023, p. 8.
  5. ^ Williams, Paul (25 June 2018). "Supplementary Statement of Evidence for Paul Williams on behalf of Ngati Tama Ki Te Waipounamu Trust and Andrew Yuill" (PDF). www.epa.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  6. ^ "World Karst Aquifer Map" (PDF). www.whymap.org. 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  7. ^ Thomas & Harvey 2013, p. 15.
  8. ^ Williams 2023, p. 1.
  9. ^ Sivignon, Cherie (28 May 2022). "Finger of blame firmly pointed in Waikoropupū Springs hearing". Stuff. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  10. ^ Gamble, Warren (21 September 2023). "Te Waikoropupū Springs gets highest legal protection". Stuff. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Fast-track Approvals Bill – Frequently Asked Questions | Forest and Bird". Forest & Bird. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2025.

Sources cited

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Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer.

Category:Aquifers Category:Bodies of water of New Zealand Category:Golden Bay Category:Landforms of the Tasman District Category:Springs of New Zealand Category:Tākaka Category:Water supply and sanitation in New Zealand

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