RWT dye released from the Mangaone Stream to the Manawatū River, 2024.
Palmerston North City Council is in the process of substantially upgrading the treated water that is currently discharged to the Manawatū River. One option being considered as part of the upgrade is to shift the discharge location further downstream.
River Lake undertook a series of mixing studies to assess the mixing characteristics of the Manawatū River at multiple locations downstream of Palmerston North. This was done by: 1) releasing a bolus of Rhodamine WT (RWT) dye in to the river and using drone imagery to map its dispersion across the river as it moves downstream; 2) slowly releasing RWT dye into the river to achieve a steady state and using a fluorometer to measure its concentration at along cross-sections downstream.
Manawatu at Totara Road WWTP discharge, facing upstream.
River Lake has been working with Palmerston North City Council for many years to help understand and reduce the effects of the Tōtara Road wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
We have undertaken monitoring of aquatic macroinvertebrates, periphyton, water quality, and diurnal fluctuation in dissolved oxygen. We have also undertaken investigations and experiments to understand river processes.
Learn about the role of nutrients in driving excessive periphyton growth in the Manawatu River, and how periphyton mine phosphorus from fine sediment captured within their mats. Click the link below:
In 2017 PNCC initiated a Best Practical Option (BPO) review of how to improve the treatment and disposal of wastewater in the future. River Lake is part of a team assisting with this process.
Here is our 2019 experimental setup to assess what concentrations of nitrogen are required to control periphyton growth in the Manawatu River.
