Chapter 3 - Freshwater 3.0 Freshwater 3.1 Introduction The Marlborough Sounds and water are synonymous. Without it the Sounds would not be the Sounds. For the most part water quality in the Sounds is reasonably good and is reflected in the uses and values associated with the area. Some of these, such as marine farming, tourism, recreation and use by Maori for mahingakai, are dependent on clean, safe water. Nevertheless there are some problems which arise from threats to the current state of water quality. These threats tend to be localised, for example around sewage outfalls or temporary, like the contamination of water in the Pelorus Sound by land run-off following heavy rain. Seasonal water availability in some areas during summer months has implications in terms of ecosystem stress while contamination of run-off water from land use can lead to a permanent reduction in water quality. Because of the inter-related and dynamic nature of ecosystems, implementation of Regional Policy Statement objectives will have many implications for all aspects of the management of the water (and other) resources of the Marlborough Sounds area. For the purposes of the Plan, water ecosystems have been separated into three types. This follows on from the Marlborough Regional Policy Statement. These are: Wetlands, Lakes and Rivers; Groundwater; and Coastal Marine. This chapter establishes objectives, policies and methods for freshwater ecosystems. That is, wetlands, lakes and rivers (surface freshwater) and ground- water. Coastal water management (including objectives, policies and methods for coastal water quality) has been incorporated into Chapter 9 Coastal Marine. 3.2 Wetlands, Lakes and Rivers 3.2.1 Issue Degradation of the quality of water within wetlands, lakes and rivers due to use and development of resources. While large areas of the Marlborough Sounds, in particular the Wakamarina and Upper Pelorus catchments, are still in their pristine state, the remaining area has a long history of human occupation and agricultural development. As a consequence, natural waterways and lake systems have been subject to many decades of run-off from land use activities. Today the quality of fresh surface water within the Marlborough Sounds catchments varies depending on location and time of year. While the overall standard of surface water is reasonably good, there are localised areas which 3 - 1