Curriculum and Assessment

Additional Info: This message was updated at 3pm Thursday 20 June 2013

Hinds to Halswell
Heavy rainfall has caused several drains and streams to overtop their banks from Hinds to Halswell. Extensive surface water flooding is also present in some areas. Staff are continuing to monitor the situation. Large swell is currently preventing an attempt to open Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere to the sea. An attempt will be made as soon as weather and sea conditions allow.

Kaikoura
Heavy rain has been falling in and around Kaikoura for the last couple of hours. At this time ECan does not expect rivers to rise to significant flood levels or for there to be any "out of river" flood problems. However, any recreationalists or contractors using riverbeds should remain wary of rising water levels.

This message will be updated after 9am Friday 21 June.

Area: South Canterbury

Additional Info:

This message was posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 at 9am.

Rainfall situation

Up to 130mm of rain fell in the South Canterbury and Waitaki Valley foothills and plains from early Sunday 16 June to late Monday.
All foothill rivers in the area peaked on Monday afternoon and flows have dropped.

ECan staff are assessing the damage to the river systems and stopbanks. Stopbank breaches on the Lower Waihao River have reduced considerably the flood carrying capacity of this river. Other rivers may also have suffered damage.

Overnight Wednesday (19th) and into Thursday (20th) some rain has continued to fall in South Canterbury with most coastal raingauges recording between 15mm - 40mm. This rain has been steady but with only low to moderate intensity. Further back in the catchments (above 200 - 300m elevation) this precipitation is mostly falling as snow.

Due to the saturated ground conditions, the continuing rainfall will cause rapid increases in the flows of small streams, creeks and drains on the plains as well as general ponding in lower lying areas. Water on roads and their margins will also be common and motorists need to take care.

The presence of snow higher in the catchments should limit the flows of the larger foothill rivers and ECan doesn't anticipate any problems with flooding from these rivers, but all farmers adjacent to rivers are advised to continue to check their own situation as even modest amounts of rain, in the lower catchment may result in a some rise in river levels.

Coastal Swell Warning

The metservice has also issued a swell warning for the coastal area from the Waitaki River to Banks Peninsula. The forecast is for southerly swells up to 5m overnight Thursday/Friday with high swells continuing through the weekend. These swells coincide with a period of higher then usual high tides (perigean tides). Landowners adjacent to the coast need to monitor their situation and stock or equipment in low-lying coastal areas should be moved.

Timaru high tide times over the weekend are: Friday 0030hrs & 1300 hrs. Saturday 01:30hrs and 1400hrs and Sunday 0220hrs & 1450hrs.

This message will updated if the situation changes significantly.

Website links:

http://ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/river-flows/Pages/River-flows-south.aspx

http://ecan.govt.nz/services/online-services/monitoring/rainfall/Pages/rainfall-south-canterbury.aspx

The sustainable management of our environment is vital for our region's ecological, economic, social and cultural well-being. We need people who can think creatively and critically, are able to interact effectively with a diverse range of people and have a ‘can-do’ attitude. We encourage the development of these and other competencies through our education programmes and our support for the region’s science and technology fairs.

Curriculum links

Young people undertaking investigations that meet the criteria for both NCEA and science fairs will exercise all of the five key competencies of the NZC »
Students whose investigations fit with the criteria for our Resource Management Awards will need to draw on diverse knowledge, attitudes and values as they offer solutions to environmental problems they identify. We are keen to encourage projects that lead to action.

Science fair investigations enable students to meet the Achievement Objectives within the Nature of Science aim »
Similarly, a student undertaking a social inquiry within the Social Sciences, under a variety of Achievement Objectives (particularly Geography), would be able to submit a project to the science and technology fairs.

Scientific activities Environment Canterbury is involved in

Micro-organisms: Students interested in pursuing a science fair investigation could explore the importance of micro-organisms in compost and how they may help build soil nutrients, the use of the Bokashi system of composting, micro-organisms in sewage treatment, the impact of micro-organisms in water.

Biological impact of an event on a Canterbury ecosystem: students could take the opportunity to investigate an event that is relevant to Canterbury such as the impact of the 4 September 2010 and subsequent earthquakes on stream clarity & nutrient cycles, or the impact fertilisers have on stream ecology.

General practical investigations in biological contexts: These standards are broad enough to allow for student interest in a resource management or environmental issue relevant to Canterbury. Teacher direction or support may be in the form of equipment suggestions and templates on investigation process, and a student would need to have their chosen topic approved.

Chemistry and bio-technology: A student could develop a technological process that would ameliorate the impact of contaminants in waterways such as pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, dissolved oxygen & organic matter that are affected by the type of things that end-up in our storm-water system.

GIS activities Environment Canterbury is involved in

Mapping effect of earthquakes: Students interested in a science fair investigation on GIS could explore how GIS technology was used to map issues that arose during the earthquakes Canterbury experienced from 4 September 2010 to the present. From that initial investigation they could take the idea further and suggest ways to improve the process or how the technology could be applied to other circumstances.

Assessment links

The following NCEA Achievement Standards could be gained by undertaking a piece of thorough scientific, technological or social science research. The standards we have selected are the investigations that most readily fit the criteria for our Resource Management Awards.

The CREST Awards have also offered suggestions as to how credits may be gained by undertaking comprehensive scientific research.