Braided Rivers - Natural Character, Process and Ecology

Find out about Canterbury Water targets for braided rivers, their natural character, process and ecology.

	From 2010	By 2015	By 2020	By 2040
GENERAL	Maintain the upper catchments of alpine braided rivers as largely natural ecosystems and landscapes. No new dams on the mainstem of major alpine braided rivers. Maintain active floodplains, flow variability and sediment movement - including during river protection works, land-use change, or deliberate vegetation stabilisation. Support the dynamics of river mouth and coastal processes. Implement actions to correct the decline in useable braided river bird habitat.	Implement remedial actions where environmental flows do not include flood peaks, flow variability, flood regularity, and channel forming flows. Protect indigenous habitats in riparian wetlands, springs and braided river lagoons. Enhance and protect the breeding populations of indigenous braided river birds.	Progress towards achieving environmental flows. Protect significant habitat for a full range of indigenous braided river flora and fauna. Protect and enhance habitat in riparian wetlands, springs, and braided river lagoons.	Achieve all environmental flows. Canterbury’s braided rivers show the dynamic nature typical of such rivers. All indigenous braided river-dependent species are showing positive trends in abundance and health. Increase habitat area useable by all species of braided river indigenous birds.