Lovett, A.P.; Cameron, S.G. 2015 Development of a National Groundwater Atlas for New Zealand. Lower Hutt, N.Z.: GNS Science. GNS Science report 2014/30 8 p.
Abstract: As part of the core funded Groundwater Resources Program, GNS Science has a project to develop a Groundwater Atlas for New Zealand (NZ). The intention is to use the Groundwater Atlas as a map to facilitate the presentation and delivery of spatially attributed groundwater information throughout NZ. A representative from each of the 15 regional authorities was contacted and a request was made to provide the most recent shapefile of aquifer boundaries. Where aquifer shapefiles were not available, alternative shapefiles (e.g. groundwater management zones) were requested. A response was obtained from all 15 regional authorities (Table 1). Six regional authorities supplied aquifer boundary shapefiles which have been determined at least in part on Qmap geology; six regions provided groundwater management zones or similar; and three regional authorities had no shapefile to provide. Currently, there is no standard approach for defining a groundwater management zone or an aquifer boundary, and therefore the method for development of these shapefiles differs between regions. A decision needs to be made on whether a standardised national framework for delineating groundwater management zones and aquifer boundaries is required, and how this might be achieved. Key presentation and delineation factors for development of the aquifer map for NZ to date are presented in this report. (auth)
