U:\2021\BM210482_IBo_Waihi_North_Project\Documents\WNP_Freshwater_Report_May_2022\FINAL_Freshwater_Report_FOR DELIVERY_June 2022\FINAL DELIVERED 17 JUNE 2022\WAI-985-000-REP-LC-0007_Rev0_Freshwater_20220621_FINAL.docx Table 8: Summary of macroinvertebrate metrics for the Waiharakeke Stream. Metric Waiharakeke Stream tributary Waiharakeke Stream right branch tributary Taxonomic richness 26 34 No. of EPT taxa 13 17 Percent EPT 50 50 MCI-hb 130.0 122.4 SQMCI-hb 7.0 6.9 7.4.4 Fish Communities There are six records from the freshwater fish database for the Waiharakeke Stream catchment within the forest park. Species recorded included longfin eel, kōaro, banded kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus), shortjaw kokopu (Galaxias postvectis) and redfin bully . There are three records further downstream within more lowland habitat outside of the forest park which included additional species such as inanga (Galaxias maculatus), smelt , common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) and giant bully (Gobiomorphus gobioides). Within the wider Otahu River and connecting tributaries, including the Wharekirauponga Stream catchment, fish species detected that are additional to those already mentioned included lamprey (Geotria australis), shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) and torrentfish. We consider it likely that, of the additional species, shortfin eel and torrentfish are most likely to be present within the stream reach. Torrentfish have a conservation status of At risk (declining) while shortjaw kokopu are classified as Threatened (nationally vulnerable). Fish index of biotic integrity (IBI) scores for the different assessed sites is provided in Table 8. Table 9: Fish IBI scores for the Waiharakeke Stream and Mataura Stream catchment sample sites. Assessed site IBI score Rating Waiharakeke Stream tributary 60 Excellent Waiharakeke Stream right branch tributary 60 Excellent Mataura Stream 58 Excellent Unnamed tributary 2 20 Fair 7.4.5 Stream Ecological Valuation The two assessed reaches within the Waiharakeke Stream catchment comprised high overall SEV scores of 0.97 and 0.956, typical of unmodified upland stream sites within forested catchments. The streams did have slightly reduced scores for water temperature control as canopy cover was not as dense as might be expected in mature forest, with some gaps present, particularly for the assessed tributary along the right branch. The assessed reach along the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3