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3D Aquifer Mapping Project

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is taking to the sky to understand our aquifers better, using the latest airborne electromagnetic survey technology (SkyTEM).

3dmappingThe 3D Aquifer StoryMap

Check out our StoryMap where you can learn about the Hawke's Bay 3D Aquifer Mapping Project, including playing videos about the project, exploring maps and 3D models, and access technical reports.

This StoryMap was created to summarise our results and report them in a more meaningful way. This StoryMap will be updated with additional tabs and resources as more information becomes publicly available.

Check out the StoryMap here

Helicopter new 150dpiAbout the 3D Aquifer Mapping Project

Water management is crucially important for the future of the Hawke’s Bay region. The more we know about our aquifers and how they are working, the better our decision making can be.

We’re the first Council in the country to use the latest airborne electromagnetic survey technology (SkyTEM), which will give us a look at our aquifers, deep underground where we’ve never seen before.

The results from the survey will be a big asset and freely shared and available to tangata whenua, other councils and community groups.

We are grateful to Lincoln Agritech and SkyTEM Australia for sharing their helicopter video footage and photographs with us.

What will we learn from this project?

Our 3D aquifer mapping aerial survey finished in February 2020. The pilots flew 8,000 kilometres over the region collecting data which will be process over the next two years. Preliminary results will be released as we get them, watch this space or sign up to our updates.

The results of the 3D aquifer mapping project will give the Regional Council a view of our aquifers we’ve never had before. At the moment we are relying on records from drilling, which provides detailed information but in limited locations.

We will be able to improve the management of groundwater resources in our region. Groundwater is very much in demand, and supply is limited, so the results are going to help us manage that resource more effectively.

Effective management is especially important when you consider that the stress the aquifers are already under is very likely to intensify with climate change.

The information and the models that we develop will be publicly available.

Updates

We will be regularly updating the progress of the 3D aquifer mapping project.

Latest update: February 2024

Stay up to date!

If you have any questions about this project, email us using the form below, or phone (06) 835 9200 and ask for the 3D water team.

If you are interested in updates from us on the results of the 3D aquifer mapping project, sign up here.

Follow this link if the form fails to load. online form.
Date Area Map

Sunday 9/2/2020

And it's a wrap! Our 3D aquifer mapping survey flights have finished well ahead of schedule thanks to the run of clear weather we've had.

Thanks Hawke's Bay you've been awesome in your support - we can't wait to share the results with you. The information from the survey will be processed by scientists and will give the clearest picture yet of the region’s freshwater supply.

 

Saturday 

8/7/20

On Saturday our pilots plan to continue the West side of the Poukawa Basin block and to the West of Otane.

PLEASE NOTE they will also fly in the lines indicated in blue on the map. Flying these two lines from across Poukawa to the Ruataniwha area will help us understand the geological relationship between the two areas.


Saturday 8th

Friday 

7/2/20

On Friday our pilots plan to continue surveying the West side of the Poukawa / Otane Basin block.

Friday 7th

Thursday 6/2/20

The Poukawa and Otane Basin block - weather dependent.

 Waitangi

Wednesday
5/2/20

The remaining area of the Heretaunga Plains block around Havelock to Pakipaki, and the offshore block. This depends on the weather.

20200205 Rough Survey Area

Tuesday 4/2/20

Continue surveying the Heretaunga Block to the South East of Hastings along SW-NE lines in the Havelock North area, progressing South East throughout the day.

20200204 Rough Survey Area

Monday
3/2/20

Continue surveying the Heretaunga Block to the SW and to the NE of Hastings along SW-NE lines progressing South East throughout the day.


20200203 Rough Survey Area 1

Sunday
2/2/20

Heretaunga Block to the SW and to the NE of Hastings along SW-NE lines progressing SE throughout the day. This is large area that gives us options throughout the day as we have restrictions due to controlled areas around Napier airport and local model aircraft clubs.

 20200202 Rough Survey Area

Saturday 1/2/20

Heretaunga Plains block in the North along SW-NE lines progressing South East throughout the day. The pilots have restrictions due to controlled areas around Napier airport and local model aircraft clubs so may move between different areas in the block during the day.

20200201 Rough Survey Area

Friday
31/1/20

Continue surveying the Heretaunga Plains block in the North along SW-NE lines progressing South East throughout the day. They have restrictions due to controlled areas around Napier airport and local model aircraft clubs so may move between different areas in the block during the day. 20200131 Rough Survey Area
Thursday 30/1/20 The helicopter will not be surveying on Thursday 30 January.  
Wednesday 29/1/20 Heretaunaga Plains Block in the north, alongSW-NE lines progressing south east throughout the day. This is likely to take the flight path over Maraekakaho, Roys Hill, Fernhill and Poraiti - weather permitting. 20200129 Rough Survey Area
Tuesday 28/1/20 Heretaunga Plains area, the Ngaruroro River Valley and Heretaunga Offshore blocks unnamed 2 
Monday 27/1/20 Ruataniwha Block progressing West throughout the day
imagejpeg 2
Sunday 26/1/20 Ruataniwha Plains block along SW-NE lines progressing West throughout the day. 20200126 Rough Survey Area
Saturday 25/1/20 Ruataniwha Plains block along SW-NE lines progressing West throughout the day 20200125 Rough Survey Area
Friday 24/1/20 Ruataniwha Plains block from the East towards the West 20200124 Rough Survey Area
Thursday 23/1/20 Ruataniwha Plains block, flying from the East towards the West unnamed 1
Wednesday 22/1/20 Ruataniwha Block from the East towards the West unnamed
Tuesday 21/1/20 Ruataniwha Block from the East towards the West 83382273 2771563936215131 4142796162321088512 o
Monday 20/1/20 Ruataniwha Block from the East towards the West 200120
Sunday 19/1/20 Ruataniwha Block from the East towards the West 190120

 Our thanks to Lincoln Agritech and SkyTEM Australia for sharing their SkyTEM helicopter footage


 

 

 

GNS Science hydro-geophysicist Zara Rawlinson talks about the 3D Aquifer project for the 2020 New Zealand Hydrological Society, NZ Rivers Group and New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society joint conference in Invercargill.

 3DAMP HydSoc 2021

 

EAGEPresentation Richard Kellett

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