16 Jan 2018

Te Waikoropupu Springs - what's their value?

From Our Changing World, 9:06 pm on 16 January 2018

Te Waikoropupu Springs Reserve in Golden Bay - along with Nelson Lakes National Park’s Blue Lake - boast the clearest water, not just in the country – but in the world.

Pupu Springs are the largest springs in New Zealand, fed by groundwater from massive aquifers. They are a great tourist attraction – but like all of New Zealand’s freshwater systems they are under pressure. There’s demand for spring water for bottling, as well as the local salmon farm, and Golden Bay as a whole is experiencing a rapidly growing demand for irrigation for farming.

University of Otago science communication student Lucy Coyle investigates the biological and cultural values of the springs.

Pupu springs

Pupu springs Photo: Public Domain

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