After a couple of trials we've narrowed down the hardware stack we're going to use and we're generating some excellent data. We're super-happy with the reliability are ready for the next stage of testing in situ. 

Future Rivers 2.1

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released an update of their ‘Guidelines on Recreational Water Quality’ this week.

The WHO Guidelines were published in 2003, but have been updated to reflect recent advances in water quality management.

The WHO Guidelines are used around the world to provide health-based guidance for setting national water quality standards and Guidelines, including in New Zealand.

 the use of models to provide real time water 

 information and use Safeswim as a case study, referring to the well communicated information allowing water users to make informed choices on using recreational waters. This is the sole example of water quality modelling and is great recognition for the Safeswim programme as the only example of water quality modelling included in the Guidelines.

World Health Organisation recognises Safeswim

Last week Giovanni took some time out from a busy teaching schedule to show us a VR visualisation of what Tamaki Makau-rau could look like in coming decades - under average assumptions of climate change and sea level rise. Then he threw me into a rip current at Piha - thankfully the Surf Lifesavers were on hand to haul me out of the water!

The power of VR

Our first trial went well - the data flowed and gave us what we needed to refine our hypotheses and define the next set of tests. In version 2.0 we're comparing a couple of different components, measuring power demand and developing our final specs before fabrication - exciting times!

Future Rivers  2.0

This year marks the first of a three-year cycle where we will be teaching a Masters level course in assessing environmental effects. The course emphasises the practical perspectives of 

 and we arrange for people working at the coal-face in council departments, consultancies and the environment court to participate in free-ranging discussions with the students. With statutory reform on the horizon we are also asking the students to look critically at the current system - encouraging them to think creatively about how it could and should evolve. 

University of Auckland block course 

The Future Rivers project is building momentum - we've completed our first set of controlled trials and are in the process of preparing our kit for deployment in the field. 

Future Rivers 

with our new website and refreshed brand – a big thank you to our favourite design team … Kyle, Isone, Rae and the crew at Translate Digital!

Its important to us that we take every opportunity to reduce our footprint – the font we have adopted for our brand, and which we will use for all our printed reports, is designed to use 30% less ink than standard fonts. The website was developed using techniques that reduce data storage requirements (and load times). The next iteration of our website will have a low-power mode to further reduce energy demand associated with the site’s operation.

Website refresh

Strategy

Andrew recently returned from an inspirational three-day hui with the NEXT Fellowship at Oneroa beach. At this hui the inagural cohort of Fellows briefed each other on the progress of their projects, visited Rotoroa Island to learn about the restoration programme there, discussed the role of strategic philanthropy in developing a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for New Zealand and met the second cohort of Fellows. 

Bulletin

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