One of the smaller catchments at only 1300 hectares, Te Mania has an extensive and eclectic mix of land use – from dry stock and kiwifruit through to a cemetery and golf course.
Te Mania has historically been a poor environmental performer. A large proportion of the catchment is medium to high-risk in terms of erosion, and major sediment load has been discharged to the estuary over time. High levels of E.coli have persisted in the streams and human modification of tributaries has impacted stream health.
A significant remediation effort has been made by a committed pastoral landowner during the last 25 years, and this is helping water quality trends to go in the right direction. There are pockets of relatively intact native bush with high biodiversity values that private landowners are endeavouring to protect.
Catchment map
