60 provide for freshwater values, and to set water quality limits and develop management actions to achieve those objectives. The NPS-FM identifies ‘attributes’ to assist regional councils in developing numeric objectives for rivers and lakes, as well as policies (including limits) for achieving those objectives. ‘Attributes’ are the ‘measurable characteristics of freshwater, including physical, chemical and biological properties which supports particular values.’ 13.2.2 United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 1986. The USEPA (1985, 1986) guidelines were used to derive water quality standards for the acceptability of the final treated water discharge to the Ohinemuri River (consent number 971318). 13.2.3 WRC WRC water quality criteria consider three categories for ecological health: excellent, satisfactory and unsatisfactory (Appendix 6). These are based on ‘critical values’ for seven water quality variables identified as relevant to the suitability of river water for ecological health: • dissolved oxygen • pH • turbidity • ammonia • temperature • total phosphorus • total nitrogen. 13.2.4 Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG) 2018 ANZG (2018) provide water managers and regulators with tools and guidance to assess, manage and monitor water quality. ANZG guidance provides detailed approaches and advice on identifying appropriate guideline values for selected indicators. These guideline values help to ensure that agreed community values and their management goals are protected. ANZG (2018) state that for the protection of aquatic ecosystems, locally derived guideline values are most appropriate. In the absence of locally derived guideline values or other jurisdictionally-legislated requirements, ANZG (2018) provide Default Guideline Values (DGVs) for some community values for use in both Australia and New Zealand, as well as advice on tailoring DGVs to suit a local region.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3