NIWA, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research

NIWA is a Crown owned research and consultancy company, with a global reputation as experts in water and atmospheric research. Our mission is to conduct leading environmental science to enable the sustainable management of natural resources for New Zealand and the planet.

Our science activity is coordinated by our National Centres. Choose the one you need in the Our Science section.

Each national centre page lists:

Research projects
Services
News
Publications
Common questions
Key contacts

The Science you need, where you need it.

You need the flash player to view this content.

Stay informed with NIWA

What is RSS?

Training

Optimising data quality from environmental monitoring stations

Hydrological Modelling – Lumped Catchment Models

The course will introduce the principles and application of lumped catchment modelling. It will include both flood and recession modelling, and will take a simple approach, the sort of thing you could do in a spreadsheet. It will include snow melt, rainfall-runoff, and simple flow routing. It will not use an off-the-shelf modelling tool. The purpose of the course is to discuss principles that are relevant to a variety of modelling approaches (suitability of model approach to available data, process representation, estimation of parameters, validation of models), and illustrate them with something that is simple and practical, but has limitations. (This is not a Topnet course, and will not address spatially-distributed modelling). Read more about Hydrological Modelling – Lumped Catchment Models

See all training courses

News

New carnivorous sponge gives its prey the kiss of death

A carnivorous sponge with ‘lip-shaped’ spicules has been identified from the dark depths of the ocean. Read more about New carnivorous sponge gives its prey the kiss of death

It’s pretty in pink and it doesn’t stink!

NIWA scientists are in the pink! They’re studying the deep candy pink or purple coralline algae, abundant around the New Zealand shoreline and throughout the world, which play a vital role in marine ecosystems. Read more about It’s pretty in pink and it doesn’t stink!

See all news items

Publications

River flows update, March 2010

Monthly and seasonal river flow information, and our outlook for the coming theee months. Read more about River flows update, March 2010

Global Setting – February 2010

A significant El Niño event continues in the Tropical Pacific, but conditions are likely to weaken towards neutral during the autumn (March-May). During autumn, mean sea level pressures are likely to be above normal to the north of the country, with slightly enhanced westerly flow over New Zealand. Read more about Global Setting – February 2010

See all publications

Our services
Working with us & our technology

NIWA’s science services are delivered by our 13 National Centres. Each centre conducts a raft of research contributing to a high level outcome for New Zealand. Read more about Our Services

Careers with NIWA
Our people

NIWA works at the forefront of some of the most critical environmental issues facing the planet, and our staff are recognised as international experts in their fields. Read more about Careers with NIWA

See our latest vacancies

Chris Mace

Position: Chair

Common questions

Is climate change real?

Yes, and it is a very serious problem. Find out about the international scientific consensus Read more about Is climate change real?

Does NIWA make rules?

No. NIWA is not a regulatory body. We provide research and expert environmental science services for customers. Read more about Does NIWA make rules?

Is NIWA a government department?

No. NIWA is a Crown Research Institute(CRI), a Crown-owned company established to undertake scientific research and related activities. See Our Company for more details. Read more about Is NIWA a government department?

What is a national centre?

NIWA has diverse range of scientists and labs across New Zealand. Our national centres co-ordinate them to work on research and consulting projects, and are your doorway into our science. Each centre often collaborates with other scientific organisations within New Zealand and overseas. Read more about What is a national centre?

Who does NIWA work for?

A lot of different customers, including central and local government. See our partners and funders for more information. Read more about Who does NIWA work for?

Are there any fish left?

New Zealand is fortunate to have a lot of ocean with a lot of fish around it, but the population of different species can easily be damaged by over fishing. Scientific monitoring is important in order to make sure we don’t damage our valuable resource. Read more about Are there any fish left?

What's happening to the Arctic?

2007 saw a surprise record low in summer sea ice in the arctic, much sooner than anyone was expecting. Read more about What's happening to the Arctic?

Where can I get climate stats?

See this page in our National Climate Centre. Read more about Where can I get climate stats?

Does NIWA sponsor events?

NIWA sponsors a limited of events of clear relevance to environmental science. Our General Manager Communications & Marketing, Geoff Baird, manages sponsorship applications: g.baird@niwa.co.nz For events in which NIWA is involved, see our events calendar Read more about Does NIWA sponsor events?

I have a media query

See who to contact in our media centre. Read more about I have a media query

Planning for the weather?

NIWA is developing an environmental forecasting service, EcoConnect, which provides subscribers with continually updated forecasts of weather-driven hazards such as flooding, suitable for port companies, regional councils, energy companies, and other customers. Read more about Planning for the weather?

Have you found something which might belong to us?

Call 0800 RING NIWA Read more about Have you found something which might belong to us?

What if there's a tsunami?

There’s a useful guide on www.getthru.govt.nz. Read more about What if there's a tsunami?

What does NIWA do?

NIWA are experts in environmental science. We have about 750 staff at 15 sites around New Zealand and in Perth, Australia. We conduct scientific research and provide applied science services. We work in environments from the bottom of the seafloor to the top of the atmosphere. Read more about What does NIWA do?

Can I get a scientist to come and speak at my event?

Contact the National Centre which covers the science you want to hear about. They are committed to public outreach, communicating science to people who can use it. Our scientists are busy, and often away on field work, but they make time to speak to many groups, such as professional societies, Rotary, Probus, rural women, schools and so on. Read more about Can I get a scientist to come and speak at my event?

How do we identify new aquatic species?

First we must be able to recognise if a species is new to science. There are several steps to the process. Read more about How do we identify new aquatic species?

What is ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification is the name given to the lowering of pH of the oceans as a result of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The pH of the ocean is determined by the level of hydrogen protons (H+) in sea water. The lower the pH, the more acidic the ocean. Read more about What is ocean acidification?

What impact did the Samoa tsunami have on New Zealand?

A powerful Magnitude 8.0 earthquake ruptured the seafloor south of Samoa on 30 September 2009, unleashing a destructive tsunami on Samoa, American Samoa, and northern Tonga (Niuatoputapu). Its impact on distant New Zealand shores was picked up by a sea-level monitoring system operated by NIWA and other agencies. The system showed that peak waves arrived between 1–2 and 13 hours after the arrival of the first tsunami waves, depending on locality. Read more about What impact did the Samoa tsunami have on New Zealand?