MARCH 2011

THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH MARCH SUMMARY Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Environmental Science – March 2011 This monthly report includes a summary of the region’s temperatures, rainfall, river flows, groundwater and soil moisture levels, and air quality. Data and images are provided by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. Please contact us for more information April Forecast (Metservice/NIWA): TemperatureAbove average Rain Normal to above normal River flows Near normal Soil moisture Normal to above normal Summary information in this report reflects regional averages. Specific situations between catchments will vary and more in-depth information is available on Council’s website.

TEMPERATURES Temperatures across Hawke’s Bay – near normal Mean Difference from Normal Maximum Temperature: -0.3°C Minimum Temperature: 0.5°C Mean Daily Maximum: 20.5°C Mean Daily Minimum: 11.2°C Highest Daily: 29°C Location: Hastings Lowest Daily: - 0.5°C Location: Taharua THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH

RAINFALL March Rainfall – near average Percentage of normal March rainfall (30 year average) for areas within the region: Waikaremoana109% Northern HB129% Tangoio104% Kaweka104% Ruahine 85% Heretaunga Plains121% Ruataniwha Plains 73% Southern HB112% Hawke’s Bay region105% Above normal Below normal December 2010February 2011January 2011 March 2011 rainfall shows percentage of the 30 year average THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH

RIVER FLOWS March Rivers – mostly below normal but above normal in the north Percentage of normal March flows for areas in the region: Northern Coastal251% Northern HB144% Mohaka103% Central Coastal 92% Tutaekuri 67% Heretaunga Plains NA Ngaruroro-Upper 93% Ngaruroro-Lower 57% Southern Coastal138% Ruataniwha Plains 54% Tukituki 45% Southern HB 86% March 2011 river flows show percentage of average January 2011December 2010February 2011 THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH

GROUNDWATER & SOIL GROUNDWATER Ruataniwha catchment Mostly normal Heretaunga catchment Mostly normal Wairoa catchment Mostly normal Mahia catchment Mostly normal SOIL MOISTURE Above Normal (compared to the last 5 years) Groundwater Level THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH

AIR QUALITY Monitoring in the Hastings & Napier airsheds There were no PM 10 exceedences during March. The monitoring sites are at: St Johns College, Hastings Marewa Park, Napier The NES or National Environmental Standard for particulate matter (PM 10 ) triggers an exceedence at 50 micrograms per cubic metre over a 24 hour average. THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT > MARCH