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Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets

NIWA Client Report: HAM2003-155 October 2003

NIWA Project: BOP04220 Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets

Kit Rutherford

Prepared for

Environment Bay of Plenty

NIWA Client Report: HAM2003-155 October 2003

NIWA Project: BOP04220

National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd Gate 10, Silverdale Road, Hamilton P O Box 11115, Hamilton, New Zealand Phone +64-7-856 7026, Fax +64-7-856 0151 www.niwa.co.nz

 All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or copied in any form without the permission of the client. Such permission is to be given only in accordance with the terms of the client's contract with NIWA. This copyright extends to all forms of copying and any storage of material in any kind of information retrieval system. Contents

Executive Summary iv 1. Introduction 1 2. Background 2 2.1 Introduction 2 2.2 Lake Rotoiti 3 2.3 Targets for the lake and nutrient inputs 4 2.4 The trophic level index 6 3. Review of published studies 1987-2003 7 3.1 Ngongotaha study 1987-89 7 3.2 Waipa Stream monitoring 1991-2003 8 3.3 Lake water quality monitoring 1991-2003 9 D 4. Lake trophic state 11 5. Nutrient inputs from sewage 15 R 6. Nutrient concentrations in streams 16 6.1 Introduction 16 A 6.2 Approach adopted 18 6.3 Ngongotaha Stream 19 F 6.4 Major streams 21 7. Trends in catchment nutrient load 32 8. Relationship between catchment loads and water quality 36 T 9. Internal nutrient loads 43 03/04/18 10. Catchment load reductions 46 11. Summary and discussion 51 12. References 56 13. Appendix 1 59

Reviewed by: Approved for release by:

Clive Howard-Williams Bryce Cooper

Formatting checked

………………………

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets iv Executive Summary

Sewage diversion in 1991 was followed by significant improvements in lake water clarity, nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations from 1993-95, but since then lake water quality has again deteriorated.

A linear increasing trend in mean baseflow nitrate concentration has been identified in 8 of the 9 major streams from 1968-2002. Some evidence of increasing baseflow nitrate concentrations in the Ngongotaha Stream was found in an earlier study (Williamson et al. 1996) but this report shows the trend is widespread throughout the Rotorua catchment and has continued.

The total stream nitrogen load is currently ~250 t-N/y higher than the target load for streams. Sewage nitrogen loads were high during the 1980s but currently comply with the target load for sewage. In terms of nitrogen loads to the lake, the benefits from sewage diversion have been negated by D subsequent increases in nitrogen load in streams. Part of this increase is associated with ‘leakage’ from the land disposal site but the majority is associated with increasing nitrate in streams draining agricultural land. Total nitrogen loads would need to be reduced by ~250 t-N/y to comply with the R target load established in the 1980s.

A Internal nutrient loads (viz., nutrient releases from the lakebed when the lake stratifies in calm, summer weather) may also be contributing to continued poor lake water quality and are likely to delay F recovery if/when external nutrient loads (viz., from sewage and/or the catchment) are reduced and T stabilised. 03/04/18 In marked contrast with nitrate, there is no evidence of increasing baseflow soluble phosphorus concentration in the major streams. Stream phosphorus loads currently comply with the target load for streams. Sewage phosphorus loads were high during the 1980s but currently comply with the target load for sewage.

When the decisions were made in the 1980s to divert sewage away from the lake it was believed that control measures put in place through the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme would reduce catchment nutrient loads. These control measures have reduced the inputs of sediment, total phosphorus and particulate nitrogen, but have not controlled nitrate inputs.

Recent work in Taupo has detected increasing trends for nitrate concentration in pasture streams draining catchments on the northern and western sides of the lake. It is believed that nitrate generated 30-70 years ago by land clearance is only now finding its way into the streams via deep groundwater. It seems likely that similar land-use/groundwater linkages operate in the Rotorua catchment although not necessarily at the same timescales.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets v There is not sufficient knowledge of the ‘time delays’ in the Rotorua catchment to estimate whether the trends in stream nitrate identified in this study will continue, or the ‘equilibrium’ concentration likely to occur if the land-use remains unchanged. Neither is it possible, with currently available information, to estimate how quickly stream concentrations would respond if control measures reduced the amounts of nutrient being leached from pasture or transported in surface flow.

In order to address such questions it will be necessary to improve our understanding of the pathways by which water and nutrients move from the land surface to the streams and springs, the time delays involved and any natural removal processes. Some information is available about the age of groundwater in the Rotorua region and current studies at Taupo are addressing a similar problem. It would be possible to develop a semi-quantitative, spatially-distributed nutrient model that considers not only nutrient yields for different land-uses but also the time-delays between land-use and stream concentration changes. With such a model it would be possible to determine where mitigation measures will, and will not, be effective; where opportunities might exist to intercept nitrate and D prevent it entering the lake; and where land-use changes will be required to reduce nitrate losses from the land surface.

R Over the period 1967-2003 there is an increasing trend in lake TN concentration that follows the trend in external nitrogen load. Over the same period there is a statistically weak increasing trend in lake TP A concentration but no consistent trend in external phosphorus load. Annual average lake chlorophyll concentration is only weakly correlated with annual average lake TN and TP concentrations indicating F that the effects of nutrient enrichment on average phytoplankton abundance are complex and dynamic. T There is no reason to revise the recommendation (made in the 1980s) that the most effective method to 03/04/18 improve lake water quality control is to control the external loads of both nitrogen and phosphorus. The combination of low lake TN and TP concentrations and a high TN/TP ratio is desirable to make it more likely maximum phytoplankton biomass remains low and that diatoms and greens predominate over blue-greens.

Recently the TN/TP ratio in the lake has fluctuated which makes it difficult to state with confidence what load reductions would be required to achieve a given N/P ratio in the lake. There is not a clear consensus about the desirable target N/P ratio for the lake and the external loads, although values of >12 and >20 for the lake have been suggested. We recommend further investigation of this matter. It is also desirable to conduct further nutrient bioassays and to examine the short-term dynamics of nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations to determine whether nitrogen or phosphorus (or both) currently control chlorophyll concentrations.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets vi 1. Introduction

Environment B.o.P (email John McIntosh to Kit Rutherford, 18th September 2003). commissioned NIWA to:

‘ … determine the load of nitrogen and phosphorus from the catchment that will attain a TLI of 4.2 or less in Lake Rotorua…’

A draft report was produced in mid-October 2003 and subsequently the study brief was altered to include the objective:

‘ … determine the reduction in catchment loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to attain the target loads of Table 1 in Rutherford et al. (1989)…’

‘…estimate the catchment phosphorus load reduction that would result in an N:P ratio of >12 in Lake Rotorua…’

In this report:

1. recent published studies on lake and stream water quality are reviewed,

2. lake monitoring data are re-examined,

3. recent stream monitoring data are analysed, which enables long-term trends in nutrient load from the rural catchment to be identified for the first time,

4. model predictions are made of the relationship between changing nutrient loads and lake concentration,

5. internal load estimates are reviewed, and suggestions made for further work.

This study does not consider Lake Rotoiti in detail although findings are relevant to its water quality. This study formed the basis for a paper at the Rotorua Lakes Workshop, October 9-10th 2003.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 1 2. Background

2.1 Introduction

During the 1970s it was recognised that water quality was deteriorating in Lake Rotorua as a result of increased nutrient loads notably from treated sewage, streams draining pasture and aerial top-dressing. The resulting water quality problems included: high chlorophyll concentrations (viz., high algal (phytoplankton) biomass), low water clarity, rapid de-oxygenation during summer stratification, more rapid deoxygenation leading to more frequent periods of anoxia (with adverse effects on aquatic organisms including fish), more frequent nutrient releases from the lakebed (termed ‘internal loads’), and sporadic blooms of nuisance blue-green algae. It was recognised that there was not a clear association between nutrient inputs and problems associated with rooted macrophytes (‘aquatic weeds’) although water clarity might have some effect.

Public concerns about water quality prompted several scientific studies.

1. Fish (1975) studied lake water quality and measured stream nutrient loads from 1968-1970;

2. Taupo Research Laboratory, DSIR, conducted bioassay studies to determine nutrient limitation and measured ‘internal loads’ and lake quality during the 1970-1980s.

3. Lake water quality was monitored from the mid-1970s by:

 Fisheries Research Division, MAF;

 Taupo Research Laboratory, DSIR;

 Hamilton Science Centre, MWD (now part of NIWA, Hamilton), and

 Environment Bay of Plenty

4. Rotorua District Council has consistently monitored nutrient inputs from the Rotorua sewage treatment plant.

5. Hoare (1980a) conducted detailed stream nutrient load studies in 1976-1977.

6. Williamson et al. (1996) undertook a detailed study of flows and nutrient concentrations in the Ngongotaha catchment from 1987-89 to assess the

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 2 effectiveness of riparian retirement conducted as part of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme, and

7. Aquatic weed problems have been studied by the Aquatic Weeds Section, MAF, Hamilton (now part of NIWA, Hamilton).

During the 1970-1980s several measures were put in place through the Upper Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme (commencing in the late 1970s) to reduce external nutrient loads:

1. phosphorus stripping at the Rotorua sewage treatment plant prior to its discharge to the lake (1973-1990);

2. land disposal of treated sewage in the Whakarewarewa Forest (1991- present);

3. fencing of stream margins to exclude stock, and

4. retirement and/or planting of erosion prone land.

2.2 Lake Rotoiti

The outflow from Lake Rotorua enters Lake Rotoiti via the Ohau Channel. For many years it was thought that Ohau Channel water simply flowed through the western basin of Rotoiti and over the Okere Falls with minimal interaction with the (main) eastern basin of Rotoiti. However, during the 1970s it was demonstrated that a substantial proportion of the Ohau Channel flow mixes into the eastern basin of Rotoiti as a result of an intermittent density current that flows along the bottom of the western basin. This underflow explains the deterioration of water quality in Rotoiti that occurred during the 1970s (Vincent et al. 1984).

In recent years there have been problems with nuisance bloom-forming blue-greens, notably in Okawa Bay but also in the main body of Lake Rotoiti. It is envisaged that improvements in the water quality of Lake Rotorua (as a result of sewage diversion and the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme) will eventually result in an improvement in water quality of Lake Rotoiti. There have been no major concerns with blue-green blooms in Lake Rotorua since sewage diversion.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 3 2.3 Targets for the lake and nutrient inputs

During the 1980s lake water quality targets for Lake Rotorua were adopted by the regional council, the decision was made to cease direct discharge of treated sewage to the lake, and nutrient load targets were set for sewage-derived nutrients (Table 1). These decisions arose as a result of:

1. acceptance that returning the lake water quality to that of the 1960s was desirable;

2. evidence that in 1984-85 sewage-derived nutrients comprised 50% and 25% of the total (sewage + catchment) load of TP and TN respectively;

3. consensus amongst scientists and engineers that restoration to 1960s quality was achievable provided that:

 sewage nutrient loads could be reduced to 3 t-P/y and 30 t-N/y, and

 catchment nutrient loads remained steady at about 34 t-P/y and 405 t- N/y.

When these targets were set the scientific advice was that:

1. the nutrient load targets were consistent with the lake water quality targets;

2. internal loads were likely to delay the recovery in lake water quality for several tens of years;

3. as a result of measures put in place as part of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme, nutrient loads from rural land were expected to decrease, and

4. macrophyte abundance might increase as a result of increased water clarity.

The load targets in Table 1 are those in Rutherford et al. (1989) referred to in the revised brief for this study.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 4 Table 1. Lake Rotorua nutrient inputs and water quality 1965-1985. Source: Rutherford et al. (1989).

1965 1976-77 1981-82 1984-85 Target Population 25,000 50,000 52,600 54,000 - Phosphorus input Raw sewage t/y 5 18 30 47 - Treated sewage t/y 5 7.8 20.6 33.8 3 Stream t/y a 34 34 34 34 34 Internal t/y ND 0 20 35 0 b Total t/y 39 42 75 103 37 Nitrogen input Raw sewage t/y 34 100 170 260 - Treated sewage t/y 20 73 134 150 30 Stream t/y a 455 485 420 415 405 Septic tanks t/y 50 80 15 10 0 Internal t/y ND 0 140 >260 0a Total t/y 475 558 694 >825 435 Average lake quality Total phosphorus 23.8 47.9 72.6 20 mg/m3 Total nitrogen mg/m3 310 519 530 300 Chlorophyll mg/m3 5.5 37.8 22.6 10 Peak chlorophyll 28 62 58 17-24 mg/m3 Secchi disc m 2.5-3 2.3 1.9 1.7 2.5-3 Deoxygenation 0.4 0.7 0.9 0.25 g/m3/d

a flood flow particulate P and N are excluded because they probably settle on the lakebed and are not ‘available’ to phytoplankton b internal loads may be non-zero even when external loads are reduced

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 5 2.4 The trophic level index

To aid the early detection of trends in lake water quality, Burns et al. (1999) developed the trophic level index (TLI). The TLI is a single numerical index calculated from four measured lake water quality parameters: total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and chlorophyll (CHLA) concentration, and secchi disc water clarity (SD) (see Appendix 1). The TLI is used by Environment B.o.P to monitor lake water quality and to help set goals for lake management (Burns, 1999; Gibbons-Davies 2003). The goal for Lake Rotorua is a three-year average TLI = 4.2. This figure comes from inserting the lake water quality targets (Table 1) into the equations used to calculate the TLI (Appendix 1).

Table 2: Lake Rotorua water quality targets and associated TLI.

Date CHLA SD TP TN TLc TLs TLp TLn average mg/m3 m mg/m3 mg/m3 TLI 2.5 4.27 1960s 10 20 300 4.76 4.23 4.02 3.85 3 4.21

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 6 3. Review of published studies 1987-2003

3.1 Ngongotaha study 1987-89

A study of the Ngongotaha Stream (Williamson et al. 1996) was conducted to assess the effectiveness of control measures effected as part of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme. Control measures included:

1. fencing streams to exclude stock;

2. replanting riparian zones to trap particulates in overland flow; and

3. retirement and stabilisation of erosion prone land.

Conventional wisdom during the 1970s when these control measures were considered was that they would reduce soil erosion and reduce the loads of nutrient associated with erosion, overland flow and stock in streams.

The effectiveness of control measures was assessed by measuring stream flows, nutrient and sediment concentrations for two years after implementation (1987-89), during both baseflow and a selection of storms, and comparing yields with those measured prior to implementation (1976-78). The main findings were:

1. the loads of sediment (-85%), particulate phosphorus (-27%) and soluble phosphorus (-26%) had all decreased significantly from 1976-78 to 1987-89;

2. loads of particulate nitrogen (-40%) may have also decreased (although there were rather sparse data prior to implementation);

3. the load of dissolved nitrogen (predominantly nitrate) had increased (+26%);

4. this increase was at least partially due to an increase in concentration of the deep groundwater;

5. it was noted that deep groundwater is 50-100 years old, which coincides with the start of agricultural development in the catchment;

6. the increase in dissolved nitrogen offset the decrease in particulate nitrogen;

7. when applied to the entire catchment, it was estimated that control measures had reduced total phosphorus loadings to Lake Rotorua by ~20%;

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 7 8. it was implied (but not explicitly stated) that the control measures had not altered the nitrogen loadings to Lake Rotorua.

3.2 Waipa Stream monitoring 1991-2003

Land disposal of treated sewage from Rotorua into the Whakarewarewa forest commenced in 1991. Intensive monitoring conducted by the Rotorua District Council has been used to determine the ‘additional’ nutrient loads in the Waipa Stream attributable to leakage from the Rotorua land treatment system (RLTS) (Park 2003).

Sampling occurs at sites upstream (monthly) and downstream (weekly) of the irrigation area. The difference in mass loading is the quantity of nutrient lost from the irrigation area, which finds its way into Lake Rotorua. Prior to spray irrigation the concentrations of nutrients in the Waipa Stream were often lower at the downstream than the upstream sampling site, and when irrigation commenced it took ~2 years for any losses from the irrigation area to be detected.

Nitrate concentration (NO3-N) at the upstream site remained constant from 1991-2003 at an average of 0.29  0.05 gN/m3 (mean  SE). However, at the downstream site NO3-N increased steadily from 0.19  0.08 gN/m3 in 1991-93 to 1.92  0.15 gN/m3 in 2001 before decreasing to 1.50  0.12 gN/m3 in 2003. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) concentration increased from 0.25  0.07 gN/m3 in 1991-1993 to 0.70  0.19 gN/m3. Ammonium concentration increased slightly but was low at both sites and made little contribution to total nitrogen. Thus the increase in TKN occurred largely as a result of an increase in organic nitrogen. Dissolved reactive phosphorus concentration (DRP) showed no trends, and was lower at the downstream than the upstream site. Total phosphorus concentration (TP) increased from 0.09  0.02 gP/m3 in 1991-1993 to 0.24  0.06 gP/m3 in 2001. As with TKN the increase in TP was largely the result of an increase in organic phosphorus. Chloride concentration has increased steadily since 1991 and has not shown the same decrease from 2001-2003 as the nutrients.

The irrigation site can be conceptualised as containing a certain ‘storage’ volume of soil and groundwater. If the application rate of chloride to the irrigation area were constant, one would eventually expect to see chloride concentrations in the outlet reach a plateau. At this point the ‘storage’ volume would be saturated and the rate of chloride application would match the rate at which chloride was lost from the irrigation area. The fact that chloride concentrations are still increasing indicates that there is still unoccupied ‘storage’ within the soils and groundwater of the irrigation zone.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 8 From 1993-2001 there was a steady increase in the ‘additional load’ of TN and TP in the Waipa Stream (Figure 1). From 1999-2003 the additional TN detected in the Waipa Stream exceeded the target of 30 t-N/y set for sewage-derived nitrogen while in 2001 the additional TP also exceeded the target of 3 t-P/y.

The trend of increasing nutrient loss from the spray irrigation area was reversed in 2002-2003 by modifications at the treatment plant that led to reductions in the mass loadings of nutrient applied to the spray irrigation site, and changes to the irrigation routine that have decreased the duration of the spray cycle on each irrigation block.

60 nitrogen phosphorus 6

50 5 .

) . y / t ) (

y 40 4 d / t a (

a s o u

l target r

30 3 o n h e p g s o r o t

i 20 2 h n p

0 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2

Figure 1: Increase in mass load (12 month running mean) of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the Waipa Stream attributable to losses from the RLTS. Source: Park (2003). The ‘target’ loads for sewage-derived nutrients are 3 t-P/y and 30 t-N/y.

3.3 Lake water quality monitoring 1991-2003

Monitoring of lake water quality has been conducted by Environment Bay of Plenty (1991-2003), NIWA (1991-95) and Waikato University (2002-03) to determine the response of Lake Rotorua to the reduction in external nutrient load.

Three years after sewage diversion Hall et al. (1995) concluded that:

1. clarity had improved with the target mean secchi disc depth of 2.5-3 m being achieved in 1991-93;

2. mean chlorophyll a and total nitrogen concentrations were close to meeting the restoration targets of 10 and 300 mg/m3 respectively;

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 9 3. there was a trend of decreasing chlorophyll and total nitrogen concentrations but whether the targets would continue to be met in the future would depend on the amount of nutrient released from the sediments (and, although not stated by the authors, would also depend on the amount of nutrient entering in streams);

4. mean total phosphorus concentration was almost double the target concentration of 20 mg/m3 and showed an increasing trend but this apparently had not enhanced phytoplankton growth;

5. bioassay tests indicated that phytoplankton were strongly nitrogen limited, and

6. it was suggested that the severity of nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton growth and the excess phosphorus concentrations in the lake could potentially lead to nitrogen-fixing blue-green blooms.

Seven years after sewage diversion Burns (1999) examined trends in lake and stream water quality and found that:

1. sewage inputs had diminished but RDC monitoring indicated that losses from the land treatment system had increased from zero in 1991-93 to 1 t-P/y and 29 t-N/y in 1999;

2. quoting Williamson et al. (1996):

 total phosphorus and particulate nitrogen inputs in rural streams had decreased as a result of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme, but

 total nitrogen inputs had not changed because a decrease in particulate nitrogen input had been offset by an increase in soluble nitrogen (nitrate) input;

3. the TLI for Lake Rotorua remained unchanged during the period 1991-1999 indicating that lake water quality was not showing a clear response (improvement) to sewage diversion.

Gibbons-Davies (2003) also reported that there was no significant change in the TLI for Lake Rotorua over the period 1991-2003. The target TLI for the lake is 4.21-4.27 (see Table 2). The TLI over the period 1991-2003 averaged 4.66  0.07 (n = 12) and the TLI trend line had a slope of –0.01  0.02 which was not a significant trend (p = 0.76).

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 10 4. Lake trophic state

Figure 2 shows the variation in the annual mean TLI for Lake Rotorua over the period 1967-2002, and the target TLI = 4.2. The TLI was high in 1970-71 when sewage loads were low because the lake stratified for a long period during the summer of 1969-70 and there was a large nutrient release from the lakebed (internal load) (Fish 1975). TLIs were high from 1982-1985, which coincides with high nutrient loads from the sewage treatment plant associated with a low efficiency of nutrient stripping. Following the commencement of land disposal in 1991, the TLI approached the target value in 1996 and 1999, but in 1998, 2001 and 2002 was similar to pre-diversion values.

It is worthy of note that the average TLI has not shown a permanent decreasing trend over the period 1967-2002. This is in contrast with the public viewpoint that water quality is steadily deteriorating. This perception may well be driven by problems associated with invasive plants (e.g., water-net) and blue-green algal blooms (notably those in Lake Rotoiti during the summer of 2002-2003) rather than by open-water water quality as measured by water clarity and annual average chlorophyll concentration.

I 5 L T

3 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 2: Annual average trophic level index (TLI) for Lake Rotorua over the period 1967- 2002. Also shown (dashed) is the target TLI (4.2) for the lake. Error bars are  1 standard deviation of the four individual TLx values.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 11 Figures 3-4 show time-series of annual mean values of the four water quality parameters that are combined within the TLI. There is evidence of:

1. an increasing trend in TP, TN and CHLA, and decreasing SD, from 1967- 1985 associated with increasing sewage load (as described by Rutherford 1984);

2. a discernible ‘dip’ in TP, TN (1991-92) and CHLA (1991-94) associated with sewage diversion;

3. an increasing trend in TN and CHLA from 1995-2002 (which is affected by a small number of high annual mean values), but high clarity;

4. occasional high TP (notably 1993 and 1994) and TN (notably 1997 and 2000) possibly associated with release from the lakebed (internal loads), and

5. an overall increasing trend in TP and TN concentration from 1967-2002.

Sewage diversion in 1991 was expected to decrease lake TP and TN concentrations with associated benefits for other parameters of lake water quality. Figure 4 suggests that, although there was a significant decrease in lake TN concentration immediately after sewage diversion, subsequently there have been increasing trends in TN (1991- 2002) and CHLA (1991-2002). It should be noted, however, that the TN and CHLA trends are affected by high annual means in years 1997 and 2001 (CHLA) and 1997 and 2000 (TN). Lake TP was unusually high in 1993 and 1994 immediately after sewage diversion (as discussed by Hall et al. 1995), decreased in 1995 and 1996 but shows an increasing trend from 1996-2002. Lake TP and TN concentrations are now approaching those during the mid-1980s when lake water quality was perceived to be poor. Two possible reasons, that are discussed in more detail below, are (1) the increasing trend in nitrogen loads from the catchment, and (2) internal loads.

It is noteworthy that despite the overall increasing trend in TP and TN for the period 1967-2002, no trend is apparent in TLI. The trends in the TP and TN data are lost when combined with the CHLA and SD data that show different trends. There are three likely reasons for this. First, Rotorua is shallow and SD can drop during windy conditions as a result of wave re-suspension of inert material on the lakebed, independently from any enrichment effects. Second, CHLA is correlated with TP and TN but only moderately (r = 0.34-0.40). Third, at times TP, TN and CHLA vary independently. For example, Hall et al. (1995) reported very high TP concentrations immediately following sewage diversion even though TN and CHLA were low.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 12 40 .

30 ) 3 m / g m (

A L H C 10

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0

4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 3: Variation in annual average chlorophyll concentration and secchi disc clarity in Lake Rotorua over the period 1967-2002.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 13 100

3 60 m / g m (

40 P T 20

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0

600 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

400 ) 3 m /

g 300 m (

N 200 T

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 4: Variation in annual average total phosphorus and total nitrogen concentrations in Lake Rotorua over the period 1967-2002.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 14 5. Nutrient inputs from sewage

Figure 5 shows the variation in TP and TN input from domestic sewage during the period 1967-2002. Inputs from 1967-1973 are based on estimates of the population connected to the municipal septic tanks that operated in Rotorua at that time. Inputs from 1973-1991 are based on monitoring results from the Rotorua sewage treatment plant to which an estimate of the TN input from septic tanks has been added. The assumption is made that no TP enters the lake from septic tanks. Inputs from 1991- 2002 are estimated from monitoring results in the Waipa Stream below the Rotorua land treatment site (RLTS) in Whakarewarewa Forest (Figure 1).

During the 1970-80s there was a steady increase in sewage nutrient load associated with reticulation in Rotorua City. This was partially offset by the introduction of phosphorus stripping at the sewage treatment plant commencing in 1973. The low phosphorus loads during 1976-78 and 1987-88 correspond with periods when phosphorus stripping was effective, while the peaks occurred in years when stripping was either suspended or had low efficiency. Land disposal in 1991 resulted in a significant reduction of sewage derived nutrient inputs from 1991-1993. However, nutrient losses from the spray irrigation site increased from 1994-2001 as was discussed earlier.

nitrogen phosphorus

200 50 .

40 . )

150 y ) / t y ( /

30 a d o a l

o s l 100

u n r e 20 o g h o p r s t i o n 50 h 10 p

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 5: Variation in nutrient loads from domestic sewage 1967-2002.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 15 6. Nutrient concentrations in streams

6.1 Introduction

Stream nutrients have been monitored during five periods:

1. Fish (1968-70) (eight major streams);

2. Hoare (1976-77) (nine major plus several minor streams);

3. Williamson et al. (1987-89) (Ngongotaha Stream only);

4. Environment B.o.P (1991-95) (nine major plus several minor streams) and

5. Environment B.o.P (2002-03) (focusing on three major streams).

The comparison of stream nutrient concentrations and loads is hazardous for four reasons.

First, laboratory analytical methods have evolved over time, and may have varied between laboratories and/or individual analysts. For example, it has long been felt that stream nitrate data from the first period of the Fish study are suspect because Fish (1975) reported a ~100% increase in nitrate yield in streams from 1968-69 but no difference from 1969-70. It is hard to conceive of a mechanism for such changes. However, it is beyond the scope of this study to assess in detail any methodological differences and the assumption is made that studies are comparable.

Second, the concentrations of some constituents are correlated with flow. Hoare (1980a) found that the concentrations of particulate and total nutrient (viz., particulate phosphorus (PP), total phosphorus (TP = PP + DRP), total Kjeldal nitrogen (TKN) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON = TKN – NH4-N)) increased with flow in several of the streams draining into Lake Rotorua. Within an individual storm he was able to derive a regression relationship that described this relationship, but he found that the regression relationships were significantly different between storms even for the same stream. Williamson et al. (1996) also found that nutrient concentrations varied with flow in their study of the Ngongotaha Stream. It is impossible to sample every storm event and the normal practice is to sample ‘representative’ storms and use a continuous flow record to estimate long-term nutrient inputs. If there is wide variability in loads between storms then it is difficult to identify ‘representative’ storms and this approach has a high uncertainty.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 16 Third, hydrological regimes may not be identical between studies. In their study of the Ngongotaha Stream, Williamson et al. (1996) set out to quantify the effectiveness of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme by comparing the nutrient yields that they measured in 1987-89 (post implementation) with those measured by Hoare (1980a) in 1976-77 (pre-implementation). Williamson found that, compared with the pre- implementation period, baseflow was lower, there were fewer large storms, but medium-sized storms were more frequent during their post-implementation study period. They state that

‘ ...concentrations during the two surveys cannot be directly compared to quantify the effects of changing riparian and upland management because of differences in flow…’

Williamson’s approach was to derive relationships between flow and concentration using results from the pre- and post-implementation studies and then to apply these relationships to a common 14-year flow record. The use of a 14-year record was intended to ‘smooth’ out any year-to-year variations in climate. This approach assumes that data gathered during the two studies were truly representative of pre- and post-implementation conditions, and that the relationships between instantaneous flow and concentration hold in the long term.

Fourth, when relating measured stream loads with land-use patterns it is important to know how recently the land-use patterns were established and how quickly the catchment responds to changes in land-use. This is especially true for soluble nutrients (notably nitrate). The key is to know the age distribution of water in the streams. In catchments with a large aquifer it may take many years for water to percolate from below the root zone, mix with ‘old’ water in the aquifer and re-emerge into the stream. Water just below the root zone has a nutrient concentration closely related to current land-use but aquifer concentration reflects the past history of land-use. Deep groundwater in parts of the Rotorua catchment is estimated to be 50-100 years old, which coincides with the major period of conversion from native vegetation to pastoral land use. The observed increasing trend in stream nitrate concentration (which is discussed below in more detail) is likely to be the result of the whole past history of land-use in the catchment and not simply the result of recent intensification. An increasing trend in nitrate concentration has also been detected in several Taupo streams that contain a high proportion of ‘old’ groundwater. The increasing nitrate concentration in these streams may well be in response to land-use changes in the 1920-50s. This has implications for a manager’s ability to reverse any increasing trend that might be detected in stream nutrient concentration associated with land-use intensification, and for the ability of stream monitoring to give early warning of the effects of land-use intensification.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 17 6.2 Approach adopted

Hoare (1980a) found that baseflow supplied >90% of the annual total inflow to Lake Rotorua and that soluble nutrient concentrations (viz., dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), nitrate (NO3-N), ammonium (NH4-N) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN = NO3-N + NH4-N)) showed no significant variation of concentration with flow. Williamson et al. (1996) found similar behaviour. This finding means that the annual input of soluble nutrient can be reliably estimated by multiplying mean flow rate by the mean concentration. The fact that soluble nutrient concentration is independent of flow also gives some assurance that the mean concentrations estimated for different studies are unlikely to be biased as a result of sampling at different flows.

However, the fact that soluble nutrient concentration does not vary with flow rate in a given study does not necessarily mean that it is valid to compare average concentrations between two studies with significantly different flow regimes. This is because the effects of long-term variations in rainfall are not well understood. Imagine a catchment in which land-use has been stable for many years and which is studied during a wet and a dry period some years apart. It is conceivable that the ‘flushing’ of soluble nutrient from the catchments may be different in the two periods resulting in different mean concentrations. Thus caution must be exercised when interpreting any difference in mean soluble nutrient concentration between studies.

In this report a comparison has been made between:

1. all data from Fish (1975);

2. baseflow concentrations from Hoare (1987);

3. baseflow concentrations from Williamson et al. (1996), and

4. baseflow concentrations from Environment B.o.P monitoring 1991-2003.

Fish (1975) does not quantify the effects of flow on stream concentration and it is assumed his samples were all collected at baseflow. Hoare and Williamson both targeted a number of storms but they present baseflow and storm data separately and only the former are included in this analysis. Environment B.o.P sampling includes several storms but samples were excluded where instantaneous flow > 2 x mean flow.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 18 6.3 Ngongotaha Stream

The Ngongotaha is the best studied stream in the Lake Rotorua catchment. Figure 6 compares mean baseflow nutrient concentrations. Table 3 summarises t-test comparisons of mean baseflow concentration between studies. Note that for these statistical comparisons, data from the two EBoP studies are pooled.

Mean baseflow TKN concentration was higher in 1991-2003 than in either 1976-77 or 1987-89 (p < 0.05). TKN (p < 0.07) and TP (p < 0.15) appear to have declined between 1976-77 and 1987-89, presumably as a result of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme as concluded by Williamson et al. (1996). DRP concentration also appears to have decreased between 1968-70 and 1976-77 (p < 0.12). Williamson reported a significant decrease in DRP yield between the 1976-77 and 1987-89 studies although we found only a moderate confidence level (p < 0.40) in the difference in mean DRP concentration between these two studies. DRP concentration appears to have increased in recent years (p < 0.07). NH4 concentrations are consistently low and soluble inorganic nitrogen inputs are dominated by NO3.

The most striking feature of the dataset is that NO3 concentration has undergone a steady increase between studies (p < 0.001) from 300  150 mgN/m3 in 1968-1970 to 738  125 mgN/m3 in 1991-2003. There is some debate about the reliability of the NO3 data measured in the first years of the Fish study. When 1968 data are ignored, the average NO3 concentration in the Fish study increases from 300  150 mgN/m3 to 364  2 mgN/m3 and this change does not significantly affect either the slope or the significance of the increasing trend in NO3.

Fish did not measure either TP or TKN in 1968-70 and Hoare made only a small number of measurements of TKN in 1976-77. Conclusions about TKN and TP may be affected by the small number of samples in the early studies and/or by differences in flow regime between studies. A more detailed analysis is desirable before making definitive statements about recent changes in TKN and TP.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 19 1000

3 600 m / N -

g 400 m

0 NH4 NO3 TKN

76-77 3 m / P

- 87-89 g

m 50 91-95

0 DRP TP

Figure 6: Mean baseflow nutrient concentrations in the Ngongotaha Stream measured in 1968- 70 (Fish), 1976-77 (Hoare), 1987-89 (Williamson), 1991-95 (EBoP) and 2002-03 (EBoP). Error bars are 1 standard deviation. There are no TP and TKN data for 1968- 70.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 20 Table 3: Statistical comparison of mean nutrient concentrations in the Ngongotaha Stream during four studies.

Notes. 1. The Students-t test is used to assess whether there has been an increase/decrease in mean concentration, assuming unequal variance. 2. The p value represents the probability of getting the observed difference in means if the true means of the two populations were the same. 3. Where p < 0.05 (shown in bold) there is a high level of confidence that there has been a change in mean concentration.

mean SD Num mean SD num t dof p Fish 1968-70 Hoare 1976-77 DRP 35 14 62 32 7 38 -1.2 98 0.12 TP 56 19 38 NH4 20 11 23 25 15 38 +1.4 59 0.09 NO3 300 150 56 528 103 38 +8.2 92 0.00 TKN 165 70 19 Hoare 1976-77 Williamson 1987-89 DRP 32 7 38 26 149 26 -0.2 62 0.40 TP 56 19 38 42 78 42 -1.1 78 0.15 NH4 25 15 38 21 77 21 -0.3 57 0.35 NO3 528 103 38 610 150 636 +3.3 672 0.00 TKN 165 70 19 138 78 105 -1.4 122 0.07 Williamson 1987-89 EBoP 1991-2003 DRP 26 149 26 41 21 203 +1.3 227 0.07 TP 42 78 42 65 55 188 +2.2 228 0.01 NH4 21 77 21 27 46 203 +0.5 222 0.30 NO3 610 150 636 738 125 133 +9.2 767 0.00 TKN 138 78 105 305 306 179 +5.5 282 0.00 Hoare 1976-77 EBoP 1991-2003 DRP 32 7 38 41 21 203 +2.6 239 0.01 TP 56 19 38 65 55 188 +0.9 224 0.15 NH4 25 15 38 27 46 203 +0.3 239 0.40 NO3 528 103 38 738 125 133 +9.5 169 0.00 TKN 165 70 19 305 306 179 +2.0 196 0.01

6.4 Major streams

Hoare (1980a) identified the nine most important (termed ‘major’) streams that flow into Lake Rotorua (Table 4). Tables 5-8 summarise mean baseflow nutrient concentrations in these streams during the four study periods. Tables 9-11 show the differences in mean concentration between studies and whether or not the difference is statistically different from zero (Students t-test). Note that data from the two EBoP studies have been pooled for this statistical analysis.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 21 Table 4: Stream names, codes and mean baseflow.

Fish Hoare Williamson EBoP Stream site code 1968-1970 1976 1987-89 1991-2003 m3/s m3/s m3/s m3/s Awahou Hamurana Road Bridge AWA 1.79 1.66 1.57 Hamurana Hamurana Road Bridge HAM 2.96 3.08 2.48 Ngongotaha Town Bridge NGO 2.29 1.98a 1.38 1.94 Puarenga Forest Research Institute PUA 1.92 2.05 1.89 Utuhina Lake Rd Bridge UTU 2.22 2.04 1.77 Waiohewa Rangiteaorere Road Bridge WHE .48 .41 .33 Waingaehe Walkbridge at SH 30 WNG .29 .27 .24 Waiteti Arnold Street Walkbridge WTT 1.51 1.39 .96 Waiowhiro Aquarius Drive Recorder WWH ND .41 .32

a 1.79 m3/s over the whole study 1976-78

There are differences in baseflow (Figure 7) and annual rainfall at Rotorua airport (Table 12) between studies. The studies are ranked in order of flow

Fish > Hoare > EBoP > Williamson

and rainfall

Fish > Williamson > EBoP > Hoare

These rankings do not coincide which illustrates the point made by Hoare (1980b) that annual mean flow is poorly correlated with annual rainfall in the Rotorua catchment. The reason is the large groundwater contribution to streamflow in several of the major streams. Groundwater levels and spring flows appear not to be affected by year-to- year variations in rainfall but rather to vary over periods of 2-10 years in response to long-term rainfall patterns. Nevertheless, there is evidence that Fish studied inflows during a wetter period than either Hoare or EBoP, and that the Williamson study occurred during a dry period.

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 22 Table 5: Summary of mean nutrient concentrations measured in 1968-1970 (Fish 1975).

Stream DRP SD N TP SD N NH4-N SD N NO3-N SD N TKN SD N TN SD N

AWA .066 .021 62 .010 0 23 .640 .248 55 HAM .081 .019 61 .000 0 23 .310 .111 56 NGO .035 .014 62 .020 0 23 .300 .150 56 PUA .090 .031 62 .100 0 23 .090 .114 56 no data no data no data UTU .071 .024 62 .050 0 23 .410 .238 56 WHE .059 .023 62 1.500 1 23 .650 .396 55 WNG .110 .028 65 .030 0 23 .340 .162 56 WTT .040 .015 62 .020 .029 23 .490 .264 55

Table 6: Summary of mean nutrient concentrations measured at baseflow in 1976-1977 (Hoare 1980a).

AWA .062 .006 38 .072 .010 38 .015 .008 38 .907 .064 38 .12 .06 19 HAM .077 .008 38 .086 .010 38 .015 .008 38 .461 .039 38 .09 .05 19 NGO .032 .007 38 .056 .019 38 .025 .015 38 .528 .103 38 .17 .07 19 PUA .031 .009 38 .083 .016 38 .088 .033 38 .191 .051 38 .36 .10 19 UTU .041 .008 38 .076 .025 38 .049 .017 38 .707 .201 38 .28 .32 19 no data WHE .022 .009 38 .089 .026 38 1.569 .433 38 1.209 .178 38 2.11 .73 19 WNG .092 .019 38 .129 .031 38 .026 .015 38 .673 .102 38 .19 .07 19 WTT .033 .006 38 .056 .016 38 .025 .013 38 .786 .078 38 .16 .09 19 WWH .037 .009 38 .058 .012 38 .055 .037 38 .987 .247 38

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 23 Table 7: Summary of mean nutrient concentrations measured at baseflow in 1991-1995 (Environment B.o.P.)

AWA 0.078 0.011 64 0.078 0.025 64 0.014 0.020 67 1.133 0.093 21 0.130 0.202 57 1.194 0.122 7 HAM 0.090 0.010 60 0.083 0.009 61 0.012 0.011 62 0.680 0.036 17 0.075 0.030 54 0.750 0.197 6 NGO 0.038 0.012 90 0.063 0.051 91 0.028 0.054 90 0.721 0.072 32 0.313 0.311 83 0.960 0.060 7 PUA 0.053 0.030 75 0.098 0.077 75 0.080 0.038 75 0.451 0.158 36 0.390 0.218 68 0.695 0.209 7 UTU 0.055 0.019 69 0.070 0.023 70 0.041 0.013 70 0.732 0.142 25 0.267 0.165 62 1.106 0.237 6 WHE 0.032 0.016 68 0.153 0.307 69 2.027 1.129 63 1.155 0.454 30 2.617 2.023 62 3.356 0.926 7 WNG 0.125 0.057 77 0.194 0.283 77 0.023 0.025 79 1.013 0.159 31 0.509 1.001 68 1.140 0.106 9 WTT 0.038 0.011 60 0.042 0.016 58 0.031 0.024 60 1.247 0.121 18 0.155 0.108 52 1.371 0.097 6

WWH 0.069 0.075 88 0.101 0.123 88 0.052 0.047 87 0.837 0.213 42 0.417 0.467 82 1.089 0.301 6

Table 8: Summary of mean nutrient concentrations measured at baseflow in 2002-2003 (Environment B.o.P.)

AWA 0.070 0.007 6 0.068 1 0.010 0.011 6 1.070 0.288 3 0.101 1 HAM 0.093 0.008 10 0.086 1 0.011 0.006 10 0.643 0.167 8 0.007 1 NGO 0.039 0.008 84 0.050 0.028 73 0.017 0.011 84 0.796 0.082 79 0.215 0.154 72 PUA 0.046 0.009 79 0.068 0.026 64 0.073 0.018 79 0.891 0.194 77 0.320 0.137 63 UTU 0.056 0.011 24 0.065 0.021 17 0.038 0.009 24 0.751 0.270 23 0.233 0.120 15 WHE 0.035 0.011 8 0.047 0.028 4 1.276 0.356 8 1.416 0.148 5 1.007 0.173 2 WNG 0.106 0.006 7 0.104 1 0.007 0.003 7 1.297 0.049 6 0.121 1 WTT 0.039 0.005 6 0.071 1 0.021 0.009 6 1.250 0.042 4 0.370 1

WWH 0.044 0.011 7 0.037 1 0.018 0.014 7 0.940 0.101 5

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 24 Table 9: Summary of change in mean baseflow nutrient concentrations from 1968-70 (Fish) to 1976-1977 (Hoare).

Change from 1968-70 to 1976-77

flow t p DRP t p TP t p NH4 t p NO3 t p TKN t p DIN t p AWA -0.13 -5.6 0.00 -0.004 -1.4 0.06 0.01 2.5 0.01 0.27 7.6 0.00 0.27 6.3 0.00 HAM 0.12 3.3 0.00 -0.004 -1.4 0.06 0.01 8.3 0.00 0.15 9.3 0.00 0.17 8.2 0.00 NGO -0.31 -2.5 0.01 -0.003 -1.4 0.06 0.01 1.5 0.05 0.23 8.6 0.00 0.23 7.2 0.00 PUA 0.13 1.7 0.04 -0.059 -14 0.00 -0.01 -1.1 0.10 0.10 5.8 0.00 0.09 3.0 0.01 no data no data UTU -0.18 -2.0 0.02 -0.030 -8.9 0.00 0.00 -0.2 0.38 0.30 6.5 0.00 0.30 5.4 0.00 WHE -0.07 -3.2 0.00 -0.037 -11 0.00 0.07 0.4 0.29 0.56 9.1 0.00 0.63 2.9 0.01 WNG -0.02 -2.4 0.01 -0.018 -3.8 0.00 0.00 -0.8 0.16 0.33 12 0.00 0.33 9.3 0.00 WTT -0.12 -7.2 0.00 -0.007 -3.2 0.00 0.01 0.8 0.16 0.30 7.8 0.00 0.30 6.0 0.00

WWH no data

Table 10: Summary of change in mean baseflow nutrient concentrations from 1976-1977 (Hoare) to 1991-2003 (EBoP).

Change from 1976-77 to 1991-2003

flow t p DRP t p TP t p NH4 t p NO3 t p TKN t p DIN t p AWA -.10 -4.3 .00 .02 9.6 .00 .006 1.6 .04 .00 -.6 .19 .22 7.9 .00 .012 .4 .28 .24 10 .00 HAM -.60 -17 .00 .01 7.9 .00 -.003 -1.7 .04 .00 -1.8 .03 .21 10 .00 -.019 -1.6 .05 .22 22 .00 NGO -.04 -.4 .30 .01 4.5 .00 .001 .3 .32 .00 -.6 .18 .25 13 .00 .102 3.9 .00 .24 11 .00 PUA -.16 -2.1 .02 .02 8 .00 .001 .2 .38 -.01 -1.9 .03 .56 20 .00 -.007 -.2 .36 .55 18 .00 UTU -.27 -3.2 .00 .01 6.5 .00 -.007 -1.5 .05 -.01 -2.9 .01 .03 .8 .17 -.019 -.2 .35 .03 .7 .19 WHE -.08 -3.9 .00 .01 4.4 .00 .058 1.6 .04 .37 2.5 .01 -.02 -.2 .37 .459 1.5 .05 .84 3.8 .00 WNG -.03 -4.2 .00 .03 4.6 .00 .064 2.0 .03 .00 -1.1 .09 .39 11 .00 .315 2.6 .01 .38 11 .00 WTT -.43 -26 .00 .01 3.2 .00 -.016 -5.5 .00 .00 .9 .14 .47 14 .00 -.017 -1.0 .12 .48 13 .00

WWH -.09 -4.2 .00 .03 2.9 .01 .047 2.4 .01 .00 -.6 .21 -.15 -3.4 .00 no data -.14 -3.2 .00

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 25 Table 11: Summary of change in mean baseflow nutrient concentrations from 1968-70 (Fish) to 1991-2003 (EBoP).

Change from 1968-70 to 1991-2003

flow t p DRP t p TP t p NH4 t p NO3 t p TKN t p DIN t p AWA -0.22 -9.9 0.00 0.01 3.8 0.00 0.00 1.2 0.08 0.49 11 0.00 0.51 11 0.00 HAM -0.49 -13.9 0.00 0.01 3.5 0.00 0.01 6.3 0.00 0.36 14 0.00 0.39 19 0.00 NGO -0.36 -2.8 0.01 0.00 1.6 0.04 0.00 0.6 0.21 0.47 21 0.00 0.47 17 0.00 PUA -0.03 -0.4 0.28 -0.04 -9.3 0.00 -0.02 -2.3 0.01 0.66 21 0.00 0.64 17 0.00 no data no data UTU -0.45 -5.1 0.00 -0.02 -4.4 0.00 -0.01 -2.0 0.02 0.33 7.4 0.00 0.33 6.2 0.00 WHE -0.15 -7.0 0.00 -0.03 -7.8 0.00 0.44 2.0 0.02 0.54 5.9 0.00 1.47 5.3 0.00 WNG -0.05 -6.5 0.00 0.01 1.8 0.03 -0.01 -1.5 0.05 0.72 19 0.00 0.71 17 0.00 WTT -0.55 -33 0.00 0.00 -0.6 0.19 0.01 1.1 0.08 0.77 16 0.00 0.78 13 0.00 WWH no data

Lake Rotorua Nutrient Load Targets 26

There is no difference in mean DRP concentration between the Fish and EBoP studies, which is consistent across all streams. However, there are indications that mean DRP concentrations were lower during the Hoare study than during either the Fish or EBoP studies (Figure 8). Thus mean DRP concentration is ranked

Fish ~ EBoP > Hoare

There is no obvious land-use change between studies that could explain this cyclical pattern. The ranking of DRP concentration corresponds with the ranking of rainfall but not flow.

There are no TP data for 1968-70 and rather few samples in several streams for 1976- 77 and 2002-03. TP appears to have been higher during 1991-95 than during the other studies. However, variability is high during this period because of a small number of samples in which TP, TKN, SS and E. coli concentrations are very high: suggesting local contamination (e.g., cattle in the stream or bed disturbance).

In the eight ‘cold’ streams NH4-N concentrations are very low and do not make a significant contribution to TN concentration. There is a significant trend of decreasing NH4-N in the Utuhina, Puarenga and Waingaehe Streams (Figure 9), which may reflect reductions of septic tank and/or urban stormwater inflows. The Waiohewa is a ‘hot’ stream receiving geothermal flow from the Tikitere geothermal field. It has historically been characterised by high NH4-N concentrations that are progressively oxidised to NO3-N between Tikitere and the lake. There is no consistent trend in mean baseflow NH4-N concentration across the four studies (Figure 9).

TKN data are sparse in 1976-78 and 2002-03. As with TP, variability in TKN is high during 1991-95. As a result there are no trends in TKN that are consistent across all streams (Figure 10). However, in the Puarenga and Utuhina Streams there appears to have been a decrease in TKN (Figure 10) that coincides with the observed decrease in NH4-N (Figure 9).

Figure 11 indicates a consistent increasing trend over time in NO3-N for eight of the nine major streams (the exception being the Waiowhiro). This is confirmed by the analysis of variance (Tables 9-11). The trend discussed previously in the Ngongotaha Stream is not confined just to that catchment, but also occurs in the other major inflows to Lake Rotorua. The most likely reason for the increase in NO3-N is the intensification of land-use.

68-70 76-77 91-03

) s / 3 m

w o l f

0 O E G U T A H A M G T H T N U A W W N P U W W W H A W

Figure 7: Mean baseflow for the datasets compared.

0.2 68-70 76-77 91-95 02-03 .

) 3 m / g (

0.1 P R D

0 E T U A A G H O M T T H U N G A W 0.5 W P U W N W H A W W

3 0.3 m / g (

0 E T U A A G H O M T T H U G N A W W P U W N W H A W W

Figure 8: Comparison of mean baseflow DRP and TP concentrations measured in 1968- 70 (Fish), 1976-1977 (Hoare) and 1991-2003 (EBoP). TP was not measured in 1968-70.

68-70 76-77 91-95 02-03

) 2 3 m / g (

0 E T U A A G O H M T T H U N G A W W P U W N W H A W W 0.2 .

) 3 m / g ( 0.1 N - 4 H N

0 E T U A A G O H M T T H U N G A W W P U W N W H A W W

Figure 9: Comparison of mean baseflow NH4-N concentrations measured in 1968-70 (Fish), 1976-1977 (Hoare) and 1991-2003 (EBoP).

68-70 76-77 91-95 02-03 0.8

) 3 m / g

N K T 0.2

0 E T U A A O G H M T T H U G N A W W P U W N W H A W W 5

) 3 3 m / g (

0 E T U A A O G H M T T H U G N A W W P U W N W H A W W

Figure 10: Comparison of baseflow TKN concentrations measured in 1968-1970 (Fish), 1976-1977 (Hoare) and 1991-2003 (EBoP).

2 69-70 76-77 91-95 02-03 .

) 3 m / g ( 1 N - 3 O N

0 E T U A A O G H M T T H U G N A W W P U W N W H A W W

Figure 11: Comparison of baseflow NO3-N concentrations measured in 1969-1970 (Fish, 1968 data omitted), 1976-1977 (Hoare) and 1991-2003 (EBoP).

Table 12: Annual rainfall during the study periods.

Annual total Average Study Year mm mm Fish 1967 1664 Fish 1968 1503 Fish 1969 1386 Fish 1970 1641 1549 Hoare 1976 1469 Hoare 1977 1300 Hoare 1978 1057 1275 Williamson 1987 1169 Williamson 1988 1573 Williamson 1989 1497 1413 EBoP 1992 1279 EBoP 1993 964 EBoP 1994 1335 EBoP 1995 1823 EBoP 2000 1294 EBoP 2001 1563 EBoP 2002 959 1317

7. Trends in catchment nutrient load

The most complete and reliable estimate of the nutrient load on Lake Rotorua was made by Hoare (1980a) for the years 1976-77 (Table 13). Williamson et al. (1996) made load estimates but only for the Ngongotaha Stream. Fish (1975) made preliminary load estimates for the period 1968-70 but sampled only eight major streams and did not include organic or particulate forms of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Hoare found that: soluble nutrients (DRP, NO3-N and NH4-N) comprised a substantial fraction of the total load (see Table 13), the concentration of soluble nutrients did not vary systematically with flow, and the concentration of soluble nutrients remained fairly constant over time.

By contrast particulate nutrient concentrations (and hence TP and TN concentrations) were significantly higher during storms and were highly variable within and between storms. Hoare sampled ~20 storms and was able to quantify storm loads with moderate precision. There were few large storms during the Williamson study, which prevented him from directly assessing whether or not the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme had reduced stormflow nutrient and sediment loads. Fish (1975) did not sample stormflows, and there are very few high flow samples in the recent EBoP datasets. There are insufficient stormflow samples to make reliable estimates of trends in stormflow load over the period 1968-2003. There are also rather sparse data on particulate nutrients (viz., TP and TKN). Consequently reliable estimates of total nutrient load in the streams flowing into Lake Rotorua cannot be made with the available data.

However, we do have clear evidence of significant increases in baseflow NO3-N concentration in the major streams (Figure 11). We know from Hoare (1980a) that soluble nutrients make a large contribution to the total nutrient load (Table 13). Our approach, therefore, was to use the trend in baseflow NO3-N to estimate the trend in total nutrient load. Thus we ‘scaled’ the estimates of total nitrogen load made by Hoare for the period 1976-78 by the observed trend in NO3-N concentration over the period 1968-2003. The details of the nitrogen load scaling method are as follows.

First, we calculated the weighted-average baseflow NO3-N concentration in the major streams during each study period. The flow-weighting was done using the mean flow in each stream reported by Hoare (1980b) for 1976. Note that we did not allow for any changes in mean flow between studies that may have some (likely small) effect on the

flow-weighting. The main reason for adopting this approach was that a complete flow record is not available for all the major streams.

Second, for each study we calculated the ratio of the flow-weighted NO3-N concentration to that measured during the Hoare study. Figure 12 shows that this ratio was 0.78, 1.34 and 1.39 in 1968-70, 1991-95 and 2002-03 respectively.

Third, we scaled the catchment (non-sewage) nutrient load reported by Hoare (1980a) (see Table 13) by the ratio shown in Figure 12. We assumed that only the soluble inorganic load (DIN) increased and that the organic and particulate loads remained constant (lower-bound). Since there is no evidence of trends in either baseflow DRP or TP concentration, we assumed that stream loads of phosphorus have not changed over the period 1967-2003. Figure 13 shows the estimated nitrogen and phosphorus loads over the period 1967-2003.

The stream nitrogen load shows a significant increasing trend, reflecting the observed increasing trend in baseflow nitrate concentration. Total nitrogen load also shows a significant increasing trend. Superimposed on this, however, is a dip during the early 1990s, which corresponds with sewage diversion to the RLTS. It is noteworthy that the decrease in nitrogen load that occurred at the commencement of the land disposal of sewage has been offset by the increase in nitrogen load in streams during the last ten years.

For phosphorus a different pattern occurs. In contrast to nitrogen, there is no clear evidence of increasing phosphorus concentrations in the major streams between 1967- 2003. Consequently, we make the assumption that the catchment phosphorus load has remained constant, and as a result the total load follows the well-documented changes in sewage load. Figure 13 indicates that sewage diversion has reduced external phosphorus loads to slightly lower levels than in the early 1970s.

Table 13: Phosphorus and nitrogen loads to Lake Rotorua. Source: Hoare (1980a).

base flow floods DRP PP+DOP PP+DOP Sewage 1976 25.9 9.0 10 a 7.5 1977 24.8 8.8 10 a 8.0 TIN+DON PN PN Sewage 1976 437 60 60 68 1977 412 50 50 64

units = tonne per year

a in Table 1 flood flow particulate P and N are omitted from the stream load because they probably settle on the lakebed and are not ‘available’ to phytoplankton

u 7 p 7 n - i

6 n 7 e 9 g 1 o 1.0 r o t t i

v i m t a a l e r e t r s

0.5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 12: Trend over time in flow-weighted baseflow nitrate concentration expressed as a ratio of the value reported by Hoare for 1976-77.

N 600 - t

t u p n i

n e g o

r 300 t i n

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 sewage total streams 100 .

/ 80 P - t

u 60 p n i

s u r 40 o h p s o

h 20 p

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 13: Estimated sewage, stream and total load on nitrogen and phosphorus to Lake Rotorua over the period 1967-2003. For nitrogen both upper and lower bound estimates of stream and total load are shown.

8. Relationship between catchment loads and water quality

The study brief includes the requirement to

‘ … determine the load of nitrogen and phosphorus from the catchment that will attain a TLI of 4.2 or less in Lake Rotorua…’

To do this we must know how the external nutrient load affects each of the four components of the TLI (viz., TP, TN, CHLA and SD). There is a strong correlation across different lakes between nutrient concentration and the abundance of phytoplankton as quantified by the chlorophyll concentration. For example, Pridmore (1987, Figure 18.2) shows a strong relationship between maximum chlorophyll concentration and lake TP concentration for presumably phosphorus limited lakes, including several from New Zealand. This relationship may not apply universally to the North Island volcanic plateau lakes, many of which have been shown to be strongly nitrogen limited (White et al 1977).

One important issue is whether nitrogen or phosphorus is the more important nutrient in determining lake water quality, and Figure 13 must be interpreted in the light of this issue. If the external nitrogen load controls lake water quality and the phosphorus load plays no role, then Figure 13 indicates that the benefits of sewage diversion have been negated by the increased nitrate load in streams. However, if it is the external phosphorus load that controls lake water quality while the external nitrogen load plays no role, then sewage diversion should have had a significant beneficial effect.

There is also the question of whether the internal nutrient loads are strongly affecting lake water quality. A detailed discussion of this topic is beyond the scope of the present study. It is the focus of research at the University of Waikato being conducted by Professor David Hamilton and PhD student Mr David Burger. A brief discussion of internal loads is included below.

There was extensive scientific debate in the 1970-80s about whether the loads of nitrogen or phosphorus, or both, needed to be reduced in order to reverse the trend of deteriorating water quality in Lake Rotorua. The scientific consensus at that time was that the external loads of both nitrogen and phosphorus needed to be reduced in order to achieve the desired lake water quality targets (see for example Rutherford et al. 1989).

There is a slightly stronger correlation between CHLA and TN (r = 0.40) than between CHLA and TP (r = 0.34) (Table 14), but neither correlation is very strong (Figure 14). Over the period 1967-2003 there are increasing trends in both TP (r = 0.39) and TN (r = 0.62) but at most a weak trend in chlorophyll (r = 0.17) (Figures 3-4 and Table 14) 1. TP and TN are themselves correlated (r = 0.50) (Table 14). These correlations and trends do not provide strong indications of whether phosphorus or nitrogen controls lake water quality. During the 1970-80s (White et al. 1985) and following sewage diversion (Hall et al, 1995) algae in Lake Rotorua showed a short-term growth response to nitrogen, but not to phosphorus, additions. Short-term bioassays, however, do not consider long-term processes that may affect nutrient availability in the lake (e.g., nitrogen fixation by blue-green algae, denitrification and sorption/desorption from lakebed sediments).

Overall there is no evidence to suggest revising the conclusion reached in the 1980s that the most effective method to achieve improvements in lake water quality control was to reduce the external loads of both nitrogen and phosphorus.

Table 14: Correlation coefficients between annual average clarity (SD), chlorophyll (CHLA), total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) 1967-2003.

year SD CHLA TP TN year 1.00 SD 0.19 1.00 CHLA 0.17 -0.32 1.00 TP 0.39 -0.45 0.34 1.00 TN 0.62 -0.20 0.40 0.50 1.00

Hoare (1980a) used an annual mass balance to predict the effects of external nutrient load changes on lake nutrient concentration. The model equation used can be written

M C  (1 R) [1] Q

1 Professor David Hamilton makes the observation that chlorophyll concentrations may vary depending on the sample collection method. Surface ‘scoops’ may give different results from depth-integrated ‘tube’ samples, especially if blue-green algae have accumulated in the top few centimetres of the water column as is often observed near the end of a ‘bloom’. It is not possible to determine whether sampling method has biased the available chlorophyll data.

where C = lake nutrient concentration (mg/m3); M = external nutrient load (mg/y); Q = outflow rate (m3/y); and R = ‘retention coefficient’ (-) which is the proportion of the external load that is ‘retained’ within the lake (either by settling or, in the case of nitrogen, lost by denitrification). Hoare estimated that 0.6 < R < 0.7 which is in accord with published values.

Figure 15 compares observed annual average lake TN and TP concentrations with predictions made using Eq. [1]. For these predictions R = 0.675 and 0.650 for TN and TP respectively, Q = 17.8 m3/s (Hoare 1980b) and M values are taken from Figure 13.

) 3 m / g m

A L H C 10

0 0 20 40 60 80 100 TP (mg/m3)

) 3 m / g m

A L H C 10

0 0 200 400 600 800 TN (mg/m3)

Figure 14: Relationship between annual average chlorophyll (CHLA), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentration in Lake Rotorua. Data for the period 1967-1990 are shown as open circles, and for 1991-2003 as closed circles.

Both TN and TP predictions follow the general trends in observed lake concentration. There is a significantly better fit between observed and predicted concentrations for nitrogen (r = 0.73) than for phosphorus (r = 0.20). Neither model predicts the occasional high annual average concentration but these may have occurred in years when the lake stratified and there was a release of nutrient from the lakebed. It is beyond the scope of this study to refine the modelling to include internal loads, although a conceptual framework exists to do so (see for example Rutherford et al.

1996). Both models satisfactorily predict the observed ‘dip’ in lake concentration following sewage diversion in 1991 but only the TN model predicts the subsequent increase of lake concentration.

Figure 16 compares observed annual average chlorophyll concentrations with predictions made from Figure 15 assuming constant chlorophyll/nutrient ratios of 0.035 and 0.35 for nitrogen and phosphorus respectively. These ratios lie within the published ranges. There is a slightly better fit for the nitrogen (r = .19) than the phosphorus (r = .14) model but neither model explains >5% of the observed variation in CHLA. They both fail to predict the occasional high CHLA, but this may stem from internal nutrient loads that are not included in the underlying TP and TN models. The TN model underestimates the observed ‘dip’ in CHLA immediately following sewage diversion but does predict the subsequent increase. It is possible that some factor other than TN concentration affected CHLA concentration immediately after sewage diversion (e.g., high zooplankton grazing). The TP model fails to predict the observed increase in CHLA from 1995-2003. There are clearly factors affecting phytoplankton abundance that are not satisfactorily captured by the combination of an annual nutrient mass balance model and a fixed chlorophyll/nutrient ratio.

400 3 m /

g 300 m

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5

6 6 7 obs7 8 8 9 pred9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

3 60 m / g m 40 P T 20

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 15: Observed and predicted lake TN and TP concentrations over the period 1967-2003.

3 m / g m

20 A L H C 10

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0

9 9 9 obs9 9 9 9 pred9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

3 m / g m

20 A L H C 10

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 16: Observed and predicted lake chlorophyll concentrations over the period 1967-2003. Predictions assume CHLA/TN = 0.035 and CHLA/TP = 0.35 and use the predicted TN and TP concentrations shown in Figure 15.

9. Internal nutrient loads

Lake Rotorua occasionally stratifies for short periods of time during summer. Weather conditions determine the duration and strength of thermal stratification. In an ‘average’ year Lake Rotorua stratifies for periods of 2-10 days on several occasions each summer although in an unusually calm and hot summer (e.g., 1969-70) it has been known to stratify for 20-40 days.

When the lake stratifies, oxygen concentrations in the bottom waters drop rapidly. If stratification persists for more than 1-2 days, the redox potential at the lakebed drops to the point where soluble phosphorus becomes un-bound from iron and manganese in the sediment and are able to leach into the bottom waters of the lake. When the lake re-mixes, some of the released soluble nutrient reaches the surface waters and is taken up by the phytoplankton. This has the potential to accelerate algal growth rates and trigger an algal bloom, although when the lake mixes some of the soluble nutrient re- combines with iron and manganese and returns to the lakebed.

The ‘internal load’ refers to the mass of soluble nutrient released from the lakebed that persists in the water column after the lake mixes. Internal loads have been documented in Lake Rotorua and, when sewage diversion was being considered in the 1980s, it was accepted that internal loads would delay the recovery of lake water quality. Rutherford et al. (1996) predicted a noticeable reduction of internal loads within 20 years of sewage diversion but that, assuming the external load remained unchanged, it would take >195 years to reach a new equilibrium.

The rate of de-oxygenation of the bottom waters is related to the concentration of organic matter in the water column at the time stratification occurs. Rutherford (1987) demonstrated a correlation between net de-oxygenation rates (inferred from measured DO profiles) in Lake Rotorua and the sewage nutrient load. This is consistent with external nutrient loads increasing phytoplankton production thereby increasing the concentration of organic matter in the water column. In theory catchment loads of organic matter could be important if the lake stratifies immediately following a storm.

Stratification and deoxygenation are difficult to study in Lake Rotorua because they only occur sporadically during calm, warm weather. Routine monthly monitoring is not normally frequent enough to accurately quantify deoxygenation rates although it can detect the net impact of large release events (Rutherford et al. 1996). White et al. (1978) undertook detailed summer surveys in an attempt to measure the internal load

but encountered cool, windy weather in which stratification was short-lived and the internal load small. Vant (1985) collated the available estimates of the internal load, including those made during the several years when he arranged for daily monitoring of temperature and dissolved oxygen that enabled nutrient sampling during stratification events. Recently Burger (2003) has reported internal load estimates from two stratification events in the summer of 2002-03.

Figure 17 shows a collation of the published internal load estimates. Fish (1975) documented a prolonged (30-40 day) period of stratification in the summer of 1969-70 but his data are too sparse to allow a reliable internal load estimate to be made. Monitoring data also exist from 1990-2000 (J. J. McIntosh, Environment B.o.P, pers. comm.) that have not been sighted but are probably amenable to analysis. Where there were two or more nutrient releases in a given year, these are plotted separately rather than being added and plotted as a single (higher) internal load. The reason is that it is not always clear what fraction of the internal load is taken up by phytoplankton and stimulates their growth, and what fraction is quickly re-incorporated back into the lakebed sediments. The 2002-03 estimates appear to be comparable with peak values during the 1980s and there is no clear evidence of a significant trend in internal loads for either nitrogen or phosphorus.

Internal phosphorus loads have occasionally reached 20-25 t. This is comparable with the estimate of 25 t for the DRP load in streams in 1976-78 (see Table 13) and is c. 50% of the phosphorus load in 1976-78 (including particulates, floods and sewage). Internal nitrogen loads have occasionally reached 150-250 t. This is <50% of the soluble nitrogen load in streams in 1976-78 (see Table 13) and <25% of the total load at that time. In 2002-03 there were two nutrient releases whose sum (300 t) was ~50% of the total external load.

A more refined analysis of these data is desirable which includes examination of the duration of stratification, the rate of deoxygenation, and (if possible) the fraction that is re-incorporated back into the lakebed when mixing occurs without affecting lake eutrophication.

The ratio of nitrogen/phosphorus internal loads in Lake Rotorua averages 4-5. By comparison the ratio of annual average TN and TP concentrations in lake water averages 10  2 (mean  SD, n = 31) (see Figure 18). This difference is consistent with the recent observation in Lake Rotoiti that a significant fraction of the soluble nitrogen released from the lakebed is denitrified (viz., converted to inert nitrogen gas)

and lost from the system (Professor David Hamilton, Waikato University, pers. comm.)

DRP TP model TP

t 50 (

d a o l

40 s u r o

h 30 p s o h p

20 l a n r e t 10 n i

0 5 0 0 5 5 0 5 0 5 7 8 9 9 6 7 8 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 DIN TN model TN 300 .

) 250 t (

o 200 l

o 150 r t i n

a 100 n r e t n i 50

0 0 0 5 5 5 5 5 0 0 7 8 9 0 6 7 8 9 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 17: Summary of internal nutrient load estimates for Lake Rotorua. DIN, DRP, TN and TP denote the nutrient type upon which the estimates are based. Symbols denote estimates made directly from measured increases in lake concentration while ‘model’ denotes estimates derived using a mass-balance model ‘calibrated’ to lake observations.

10. Catchment load reductions

The study brief as revised in mid-October 2003. The first part of the revised brief is

‘ … determine the reduction in catchment loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to attain the target loads of Table 1 in Rutherford et al. (1989)…’

Table 15 summarises the sewage and catchment loads measured by Hoare in 1976-77 and preliminary estimates made in this study for the calendar year 2002. As detailed above the 2002 loads are estimated assuming:

 2002 stream DIN load is 139% of the measured 1976-77 load;

 2002 and 1976-77 stream DON and PN loads are the same;

 2002 and 1976-77 stream phosphorus loads are the same, and

 sewage loads are those measured by the RDC in calendar year 2002.

Flood flow particulate nutrients are omitted from all the stream load estimates 2. One reason is that a significant proportion of the flood flow particulates are thought to settle onto the lakebed without becoming ‘available’ to lake phytoplankton. This assumption is untested and it has been argued they may become available when the lake stratifies and the hypolimnion becomes anoxic (viz., as an internal load). Nevertheless, it was the recommendation of the Lake Rotorua Scientific Committee in the 1980s that flood flow particulates be omitted from the nutrient budget, this assumption was made when setting the original nutrient load ‘targets’, and is retained in this study for consistency. The Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme has reduced the load of sediment and particulate nutrient carried by the Ngongotaha Stream (Williamson et al. 1997). It is desirable to re-examine the question of the bio- availability of particulate nutrients and the effect of flood flows on lake nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations.

Nutrient inputs from septic tanks and urban runoff are not included in these estimates. Within Rotorua City septic tanks were gradually phased out during the 1960-70s as housing was reticulated and sewage treated at the sewage treatment plant. There is 2 they are also omitted from the estimates in Tables 1 and 7

evidence of declining NH4 concentrations in the Utuhina and Puarenga Streams that flow through Rotorua City, which may be associated with ‘cleansing’ of groundwater previously affected by septic tank drainage. Septic tanks remain in many rural communities but it is difficult to estimate accurately the contribution they make to nitrogen loads on the lake. Recent work has suggested that urban runoff (viz., stormwater) may make a small contribution to nutrient loads on the lake (Mr D. Ray, NIWA, Hamilton, pers. comm.). To be consistent with earlier work, nitrogen loads from septic tanks in both urban and rural areas, and urban stormwater, have been assumed zero in this study. It is desirable to better quantify the contribution from both these sources when considering what remedial measures need to be taken to reduce external nutrient loads.

There is no evidence that stream phosphorus concentrations have changed significantly since the first measurements in 1968-70. Indeed when Williamson et al. (1996) assessed the effectiveness of the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme in the Ngongotaha Stream, they found that sediment and PP yields were lower in 1987-89 (post implementation) than in 1976-77 (pre-implementation). Williamson suggested that the DRP yield was also slightly lower although this study indicates that the difference is small.

Overall we conclude that the stream phosphorus loads currently comply with the target value (Table 15). However, there is a weak increasing trend in lake TP concentration (Figures 4 and 15), which is puzzling given that the stream load is apparently similar to that in the 1960s. Although phosphorus loads were low from 1991-2002 there was a period of high phosphorus loading during the 1980s (Figure 15) and it is conceivable that lake TP concentrations are still being affected by those high loads. The most likely mechanism for this is through nutrient releases from the lakebed. Although phosphorus loads are low, current nitrogen loads are high. If, as seems to be the case, the lake is nitrogen limited then the likelihood of deoxygenation and nutrient release from the lakebed is higher now than it was in the past because the nitrogen load is higher. When the hypolimnion becomes anoxic, phosphorus becomes unbound from iron and manganese complexes in the lakebed. Thus it is conceivable that the increasing trend in lake phosphorus concentration is the result of the increasing external nitrogen load, which causes more frequent anoxia.

There is evidence that the stream nitrate load has increased by ~39% from 1976-77 to 2002 (and by ~75% from 1969-70 to 2002). Hoare (1980a) reports DIN (NO3 + NH4) load in 1976-77 but does not separate it into nitrate (NO3) and ammonium (NH4) loads. In estimating the 2002 stream nitrogen load we assumed that the average DIN

(viz., the sum of NO3 and NH4) concentration has increased by 39% since 1976-77. This may be a slight overestimate because Figure 9 indicates that NH4 has not increased in any of the rural streams and has actually decreased in three urban streams (as discussed above). However, scaling Hoare’s DIN load is unlikely to have introduced a significant bias because NH4 makes only a very small contribution to DIN in the ‘cold’ streams that transport the majority of water into the lake and in which NO3 >> NH4 (see Figures 6, 9 and 11). Only in the Waiohewa (which drains the Tikitere geothermal field) is the NH4 concentration high (see Figures 9 and 11). It is desirable to re-examine the original data from Hoare’s 1976-77 study, separate the stream loads of NO3 and NH4 and re-calculate the 2002 nitrogen loads. We have taken the conservative assumption that baseflow particulate nitrogen stream loads and rainfall loads have not changed.

Overall, we estimate that the total nitrogen load in 2002 was ~250 t-N/y above the target. The sewage load is close to the sewage target, but the stream load is well above the stream target. The main reason the stream nitrogen load exceeds the target is the increasing trend in stream nitrate identified in this study (see Figures 6 and 11).

The reasons for this trend are not clearly understood. Consequently, it is not possible to predict whether, and for how long, the trend will continue into the future or what the ‘equilibrium’ nitrogen load would be if land-use were to remain unchanged.

Table 15: Summary of annual nutrient load measurements (1976-77), estimates (2002) and required reductions to meet targets.

1976-77 1984-85 2002 target reduction from 2002 to meet target Phosphorus input Treated sewage 7.8 33.8 1 3 t/y Stream t/y a 34 34 34 34 Internal t/y 0 35 NDb 0 Total t/y 42 103 35 37 nil Nitrogen input Treated sewage 73 150 32 30 -2 t/y Stream t/y a 485 415 660 405 -255 Internal t/y 0 >260 NDb 0 Total t/y 558 >825 692 435 -257 N/P ratio, total 13 >8 20 12 input

a flood flow particulate P and N are excluded from the load estimates.

b Hamilton et al. (2003) report internal loads totalling 24 and 308 t for TP and TN respectively over two periods of stratification in 2003: 29th Jan to 7th Feb and 10-19th Feb respectively. The second part of the revised study brief is:

‘…estimate the catchment phosphorus load reduction that would result in an N:P ratio of >12 in Lake Rotorua…’

The combination of low lake TN and TP concentrations and a high TN/TP ratio is considered to be desirable. This combination makes it more likely that maximum phytoplankton biomass will be low (viz., limited by low nutrient concentrations) and that diatoms and greens will predominate over blue-greens. Blue-greens are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and hence have a potential competitive advantage over diatoms and greens when phosphorus is abundant but nitrogen is in short supply (viz., the N/P ratio is low). Blue-green blooms are not solely determined by N/P ratio: they are favoured by calm conditions and other factors that are only understood in a semi- quantitative manner.

While it is accepted by limnologists that it is desirable to maintain both low nutrient concentrations and a high N/P ratio in lake water to reduce the risk of blue-green blooms, there is not a widely accepted ‘target’ N/P ratio for Lake Rotorua and Rotoiti. Various targets have been suggested in the past, ranging from 9-20. It is beyond the scope of this study to recommend a target N/P ratio for either the lake water or the nutrient loads. The value of <12 in the study brief appears to come from the ratio of target loads set in the 1980s.

Figure 18 shows the ratio of the annual average TN and TP concentrations in the lake over the period 1967-2003. From 1972-1992 the TN/TP ratio averaged 9  2 (mean  SD, n = 20) and showed no time trend. Since sewage diversion there have been four values in the range 13-17 that lie outside the range of values observed prior to sewage diversion. In 2001-02 ratios were ~9 and hence comparable with those in 1972-1992. Overall there is a weak trend of increasing lake water TN/TP concentration ratio (r = . 36) although this trend is largely the result of the four high values soon after sewage diversion. An increasing TN/TP ratio suggests that, if either nutrient limits phytoplankton growth, it is increasingly more likely to be phosphorus than nitrogen.

Also shown in Figure 18 is the N/P ratio of the estimated external loads. The load ratio is consistently higher than the lake concentration ratio, for which there are three possible explanations: (1) nitrogen load has been overestimated, (2) phosphorus load

has been underestimated, and/or (3) in-lake processes remove more nitrogen than phosphorus. It is not possible with the available information to determine which explanation is most likely.

There are trends of increasing N/P ratio in both the lake water and the nutrient load (Figure 18). The measured 1976-77 loads and the ‘target’ loads both have an N/P ratio ~12 but in 2002 the estimated load ratio had increased to ~20 (Table 15). The reason for the change is that nitrate loads in the streams have increased while phosphorus loads appear to have remained largely unchanged.

The lake TN/TP ratio has fluctuated markedly since sewage diversion. It was very low in 1993 when Hall et al. (1995) reported high lake TP and DRP concentrations, possibly associated with phosphorus release from the lakebed and/or seston. There were very high values in 1996 and 1999 whose origins are unclear. In 2000-01 lake TN/TP ratio have been ~10 even though the load N/P ratios have been ~20.

It is desirable to improve our understanding of the way in-lake processes (e.g., lakebed releases and denitrification) affect lake nutrient concentrations and N/P ratios. Without such an understanding it is difficult to state with confidence what load reductions would be required to achieve an N/P ratio in the lake water >12. It is also not clear whether a lake-water N/P ratio of >12 is the most a desirable target. The ratio appears to have been ~9 in the early 1970s when water quality problems first began to be recognised, but its value prior to that time is not known.

We recommend that the second part of the revised brief be deferred for more detailed discussion and analysis, including an examination of recent research by Mr David Burger and Professor David Hamilton, University of Waikato.

15 o i t a r

P / 10 N

0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 7 7 8 9 0 6 8 9 0 9 9 9 9 0 9 9 9 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

Figure 18. Ratio of annual average lake water TN and TP concentration (circles) 11. Summary andand discussionestimated N and P load (line) 1967-2003.

Sewage diversion was followed by significant improvements in lake water clarity, nitrogen and chlorophyll concentrations from 1991-95, but since then lake water quality has deteriorated. Burns (1999) suggested that the lack of a permanent improvement could be due to nutrient regeneration from the sediments (internal loads), in accord with earlier model predictions (Rutherford et al. 1996). Recent internal nutrient loads appear to be comparable with those observed during the 1970- 80s but further insights into trends in deoxygenation rates and internal loads are likely to be gained by current research work being conducted by Mr David Burger, University of Waikato.

While internal loads are likely to have caused year-to-year variations in lake nutrient and chlorophyll concentration and may have delayed lake recovery, this study indicates that another likely reason why lake water quality has not continued to improve since 1991 is that external nitrogen loads from the catchment have increased and negated the potential beneficial effects of sewage diversion. An increasing trend in mean baseflow nitrate concentration has been identified in 8 of the 9 major streams. Although some evidence of increasing nitrate concentrations in the Ngongotaha Stream was found in an earlier study (Williamson et al, 1996), inclusion of the recent Environment B.o.P monitoring data in the dataset shows that this trend has continued in the Ngongotaha Stream and is widespread in the Rotorua catchment.

When the increasing trend in stream nitrate is combined with well-documented changes in sewage nitrogen load, there is evidence that the benefits derived from sewage diversion in 1991 have been negated by subsequent increases in nitrogen load in streams. Part of this increase is associated with higher than expected ‘leakage’ from the sewage land disposal site but the majority is associated with increasing mean nitrate concentrations in streams draining agricultural catchments. There is an increasing trend in annual mean lake total nitrogen (TN) concentration over the period 1967-2003. This trend was temporarily interrupted following sewage diversion in 1991 but annual average lake TN concentrations are currently comparable with those during the mid-1980s.

When the decisions were made in the 1980s to divert sewage away from the lake it was thought that control measures put in place through the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme would reduce catchment nutrient loads. These control measures were designed based on conventional wisdom in the late-1970s and included fencing streams to exclude stock and intercept overland flow, plus measures to reduce soil erosion. There is evidence that these control measures have reduced the loads of sediment, total phosphorus and particulate nitrogen in the Ngongotaha catchment (Williamson et a., 1996), and similar decreases are likely to have occurred in other catchments. However, stemming from this report there is now clear evidence that nitrate inputs have increased significantly in the majority of streams that drain agricultural land and that this has negated the benefits, in terms of reduced particulate nitrogen inputs, achieved through fencing streams, re-vegetating stream banks and retiring erosion-prone areas.

Increasing nitrate concentrations were first detected some time after the decision was made to divert sewage away from the lake. In hindsight it was incorrect to believe that the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme would reduce catchment nutrient loads. Even at that time it was known that deep groundwater feeding springs in the Rotorua catchment was 50-100 years old, but the significance of this fact was not appreciated. The decision to divert sewage was influenced by the fact that it contributed 25% and 50% of the total nitrogen and phosphorus load respectively and, had the catchment nutrient load remained constant, sewage removal would undoubtedly have resulted in significant long-term benefits for lake water quality.

Recent work in the Taupo catchment has not only detected increasing trends in stream nitrate concentration but has also shown that the change in nitrate concentration from 1970-2000 is inversely correlated with the age of the water. The hypothesis is that nitrate was liberated when land was converted from bush to pasture ~50 years ago, is gradually moving down into the groundwater, and after some ‘time delay’, will eventually appear in the stream water.

It seems likely that the same land-use/groundwater linkages operate in the Rotorua and Taupo catchments, given the similarities in the volcanic origin of the soils and underlying rocks. What is not clear, however, is the time delay between land-use intensification and increasing stream nitrate concentration in the Rotorua catchment. Williamson et al. (1996) state that deep groundwater in the Ngongotaha catchment is 50-100 years old, which coincides with conversion from bush to pasture. The implication is that it takes many years for nitrate to leach from pasture, travel down through the vadose zone, mix with the groundwater and travel to where it enters the

streams or lake. However, it is possible that some nitrate takes a shorter time to travel from the land surface to the stream because it is transported in shallow sub-surface or overland flow, and/or because the nitrate source lies close to the stream.

It is important for management to know which parts of the catchment are ‘connected’ to which streams or springs (viz., the water and nitrate ‘pathways’), the time it takes water and nitrate to travel along each of these pathways, and the amount of ‘attenuation’ (viz., denitrification or uptake by plants) that occurs along each pathway. If this information were available it would be possible to determine where mitigation measures (e.g., wetlands and/or riparian buffer zones that reduce nitrate concentrations by denitrification) could be located in the catchment. It would also enable areas to be identified where mitigation measures would not be effective (e.g., because the nitrate travels via deep groundwater to major springs thereby by-passing wetlands and riparian zones so that there is little opportunity for interception). If such information were available it would be feasible to develop a ‘model’ that summed the nitrate inputs from each part of the catchment, estimated the amount removed by the mitigation measures and/or natural attenuation processes thereby enabling an assessment to be made of whether or not nitrogen load targets could be achieved.

In marked contrast with nitrate, there is no evidence of increasing mean phosphorus concentrations in the major streams. The external phosphorus load over the period 1967-2003 exhibits a ‘hump’ during the 1980s, associated with high sewage phosphorus loads, but is currently comparable with that during the 1970s. There is a weak increasing trend in annual average lake TP concentration over the period 1967- 2003. Lake TP was high during the mid-1980s, decreased following sewage diversion, but is currently approaching values in the 1980s. There is a slight inconsistency in that lake TP concentration exhibits a weak increasing trend but the external phosphorus load does not. It is not clear whether this discrepancy arises from uncertainties in the data or indicates some regulating mechanism within the lake (e.g., sorption/desorption).

There is at most a weak increasing trend in lake chlorophyll concentration from 1967- 2003, despite the increasing trends in TN and TP concentration. Chlorophyll concentration increased during the 1970-80s as a result of increasing sewage loads and decreased significantly following sewage diversion in 1991. Since 1995 chlorophyll has again increased but has not yet attained the high values observed during the mid- 1980s. There appear to be determinands other than the annual average TP and TN concentration that affect annual average chlorophyll concentration. In order to improve predictions of how external nutrient loads affect lake nutrient and chlorophyll

concentrations it is desirable to examine the time-series of chlorophyll, nutrient and weather in more detail and to develop dynamic models.

This study indicates that the trends in lake TN and TP are different from those in CHLA, SD and TLI. Environment Bay of Plenty use the TLI as a trigger for policy activation in the Regional Water and Land Plan. The TLI has indicated that Lake Rotorua has not been in compliance with the Plan baseline during 1967-2002, indicating that catchment nutrient management needs to be activated. We recommend that investigations concerning possible remedial measures consider not only trends in the TLI but also trends in each of its constituent parameters separately. We note that the annual lake reports refer to trends in the four lake parameters.

In the 1980s the scientific opinion was that the most effective method to improve lake water quality control was to reduce the external loads of both nitrogen and phosphorus. Immediately after sewage diversion TN and CHLA concentrations decreased but TP concentrations increased. The high TP concentrations did not stimulate phytoplankton growth, and bioassays showed that the lake was strongly nitrogen limited (Hall et al. 1995). Since that time there has been: an increasing trend in lake TN concentration and external nitrogen load and a weak increasing tend in the TN/TP ratio. These suggest a trend towards phosphorus limitation. However, the increasing trend in TN/TP ratio is the result of four years soon after sewage diversion when the TN/TP ratio was high. The TN/TP ratio has been highly variable since sewage diversion (see Figure 18) and the trend has not been sustained in the last two years. Bioassays were not conducted in years when the TN/TP ratio was high and it might be unwise to assume a significant change in nutrient limitation solely on the basis of this apparent trend in TN/TP ratio. It is desirable to conduct further nutrient bioassays and to examine the short-term dynamics of nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations to determine whether nitrogen or phosphorus (or both) currently control chlorophyll concentrations. Overall, there is no strong evidence to justify revising the conclusion reached in the 1980s that the most effective method to improve lake water quality control is to control the external loads of both nitrogen and phosphorus.

Stream phosphorus loads do not appear to have changed significantly from 1969-2002 and currently comply with the stream target value. Sewage phosphorus loads were high during the 1980s but currently comply with sewage targets. There is an increasing trend in lake TP concentration from 1968-2002 but it is not clear whether this is the result of the high sewage phosphorus loads during the 1980s or is related to lakebed nutrient releases (internal loads) stimulated by the current high nitrogen loads.

The sewage nitrogen load in 2002 was close to the sewage target. However, in 2002 the stream nitrogen load was ~250 t-N/y above the stream target. The main reason the target was exceeded is a significant increasing trend in stream nitrate concentration. It is not clear whether this trend in stream nitrate concentration will continue even if the land-use remains unchanged. There is a clear need for a better understanding of the role of groundwater in determining the ‘time delay’ between land-use change and stream nitrate concentration, and hence for linking land-use changes in the catchment with stream nutrient concentration.

This study clearly identifies the need to revise the belief that the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme will result in catchment nutrient loads remaining similar to, or less than, those measured by Hoare in 1976-77. Given evidence of a widespread and significant increase in baseflow stream nitrate concentration it is desirable to make a more detailed analysis of catchment nutrient loads. Such an analysis needs to include: the contribution from storm flows and particulates, transport pathways for the delivery of nitrate and the time delays involved, opportunities to intercept nitrate, and opportunities to reduce nitrate generation.

12. References

Burns, N.M. (1999). Lake Rotorua and its inputs in the 1990’s. Lakes Consultancy Client Report 99/3, Lakes Consultancy, PO Box 161, Pauanui 2850. October 1999.

Burns, N.M.; Rutherford, J.C.; Clayton, J.S. (1999). A monitoring and classification system for New Zealand lakes and reservoirs. Journal of Lakes Research & Management 15(4): 255-271.

Gibbons-Davies, J. (2003). Rotorua Lakes Water Quality 2002. Environment Publication 2003/02, Environment Bay of Plenty, P.O. Box 364, Whakatane.

Hall, J.A.; Payne, G.; Smith, R. (1995). Review of Rotorua Water Quality. Consultancy Report BPR302, NIWA, Hamilton. June 1995.

Hamilton, D.; Alexander, W.; Burger, D. (2003). Nutrient Budget for Lakes Rotoiti and Rotorua. Part 1: Internal Nutrient Loads. Unpublished report to the Lakes Water Quality Society. University of Waikato. 49 p.

Fish, G.R. (1975). Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti, North Island, New Zealand: their trophic status and studies for a nutrient budget. Fisheries Research Division, Wellington.

Hoare, R.A. (1980a). The sensitivity to phosphorus and nitrogen of Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. Progress in Water Technology 12: 897-904.

Hoare, R.A. (1980b). Inflows to Lake Rotorua. Journal of Hydrology (New Zealand) 19 (1): 49-59.

Hoare, R.A. (1987). Nitrogen and phosphorus in the catchment of Lake Rotorua. Water Quality Centre Publication 11. Ministry of Works & Development, Hamilton. January 1987.

Nurnberg, G.K. (1984). The prediction of internal phosphorus loads in lakes with anoxic hypolimnia. Limnology & Oceanography 29: 111-124.

Park, S. (2003). Spray irrigation of treated effluent in Whakarewarewa Forest – compliance report. Environment Publication 2003/14, Environment Bay of Plenty, P.O. Box 364, Whakatane.

Pridmore, R.D. (1987). Phytoplankton response to changed nutrient concentrations. Chapter 18. In: W.N.Want (Ed). Lake Manager’s Handbook. Water & Soil Miscellaneous Publication No. 103, NWSCO, Wellington.

Rutherford, J.C. (1984). Trends in Lake Rotorua water quality. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 18: 355-365.

Rutherford, J.C. (1988). Internal nitrogen and phosphorus loads in Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. Verhandlugen,Internationale Vereinigung fuer Theoretische und Angewandre Limnologie 23: 828-831.

Rutherford, J.C.; Pridmore, R.D.; White, E. (1989). Management of phosphorus and nitrogen inputs to Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. Journal of Water Resources Planning & Management 115 (4): 431-439.

Rutherford, J. C.; Dumnov, S.M.; Ross, A.H. (1996). Predictions of phosphorus in Lake Rotorua following loads reductions. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 30: 383-396.

Vant, W.N. (1985). Lake Rotorua: nutrient regenerated from anoxic bottom sediments. New Zealand Limnological Society Conference, 21 May 1985.

Vincent, W.F.; Gibbs, M.M.; Dryden, S.J. (1984). Accelerated eutrophication in a New Zealand lake: Lake Rotoiti, central North Island. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 18: 431-440

White, E.; Don, B.J.; Downes, M.T.; Kemp, C.J.; MacKenzie, A.L.; Payne, G.W. (1978). Sediments of Lake Rotorua as sources and sinks for plant nutrients. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 12: 121-138.

White, E.; Law, K.; Payne, G.W.; Pickmere, S. (1977). Nutrient demand and availability among planktonic communities-an attempt to assess nutrient limitation to plant growth in 12 central volcanic plateau lakes. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 19: 49-62.

Williamson, R.B.; Smith, C.M.; Cooper, A.B. (1996). Watershed riparian management and its benefits to a eutrophic lake. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management 122: 24-32.

13. Appendix 1

Equations used to calculate the trophic level index. Note some of the coefficients are slightly modified from the original values published by Burns et al. (1999) but are those used by Environment Bay of Plenty

TLc  2.22  2.54log e (Chla) 1 1 TLs  5.56  2.60log (  ) e SD 40

TLp  0.218  2.92loge (TP)

TLn  3.61 3.01log e (TN)

TLI  average(TLc,TLs,TLp,TLn)

CHLA = chlorophyll a concentration (mg/m3); SD = secchi disc water clarity (m); TP = total phosphorus concentration (mg/m3) and TN = total nitrogen concentration (mg/m3).