Meola Creek
Encyclopedia
Meola Creek is a waterway in Auckland
, New Zealand
. It is situated in Integrated Catchment Area #1 within Auckland City’s drainage network. The catchment consists largely of a natural valley that runs down from the north-east slopes of Mt Albert (Owairaka), north of Mt Albert Road. The upper section of Meola Creek flows along the boundary of the Mt Albert Grammar and through the Kerr-Taylor Reserve. The area around the creek is subject to a combination of residential, commercial and recreational activities, which result in the stream being entirely piped upstream of the Chamberlain Park Golf Course, and strongly contaminated with urban pollutants such as zinc and lead.
Meola Creek drains into an estuarine area of the mid-Waitemata Harbour
, on a low-lying part of the Auckland isthmus. This receiving environment has one of the longest histories of urbanisation in the Auckland region. The area around the estuary is actually a natural flood plain, much of which has been converted to parks and playing fields. Fortunately, a good portion of the mangrove forest remains intact. Te Tokaroa (Meola Reef
) next to Point Chevalier
forms the northern part of a 10 km long lava flow that originated from Three Kings volcano and flowed down a narrow creek valley. The reef extends for over 2 km across the Waitemata Harbour
where Allan Kerr Taylor was born and lived until aged eight. The Kerr Taylor family lived near the source of Meola Creek in a large Indian-influenced house called Alberton, one of the most loved historic houses in New Zealand
. In pre-human times much of the area was wetlands; in fact, the nearby suburb of Sandringham
used to be called Cabbage Tree Swamp up until the mid 19th century. Following European settlement, most of the area around the creek remained as gorse-covered swamp until it was finally drained and converted into school playing fields in 1953.
In June 2006 an Asiatic short-clawed otter called Jin made national news as it escaped from Auckland Zoo
by swimming down Meola Creek on an outgoing tide and into the Waitemata Harbour. The fugitive otter was later captured on Motutapu Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
and pollution have taken a hefty toll on its biota and fundamental hydrology. Pollutants such as heavy metals
and petrochemicals enter the creek via several stormwater
drains along the creek. Because it is situated in a heavily urbanised catchment there are high percentages of impervious surfaces such as roads, carparks and buildings (estimated at 94% of the total catchment area) - all ideal media for the flow of contaminants into urban waterways The creek also receives significant amounts of sediments via the drainage of excess groundwater from the school playing fields as well as slips caused by erosion. During high rainfall events the combined sewage-stormwater drain often overflows, discharging raw human excrement directly into the creek.
The problems, however, are not confined to the creek - within the Meola Reef settling zone (in the Waitemata Harbour), both zinc
and lead
have exceeded alert levels, which means the benthic community (e.g., shellfish and other sediment-dwelling invertebrates) has been seriously impacted. Heavy metals such as zinc can persist in the aquatic environment for considerable periods of time, particularly in sediment. As a consequence, metals can accumulate in the tissue of benthic organisms and their predators at higher trophic level
s. Zinc has been shown to be toxic to aquatic plants and animals. In fish, waterborne zinc can disturb ionic regulation, disrupt gill tissues and cause hypoxia. How much of this can attributed to historical industrial pollution is not known. What is known, however, is that there has been a significant increase of zinc entering this receiving environment since the 1950s – the time when galvanized paint started to be used on rooftops within this increasingly urbanised catchment. In particular, industrial roofs have been found to have zinc levels significantly greater than other urban sources.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is situated in Integrated Catchment Area #1 within Auckland City’s drainage network. The catchment consists largely of a natural valley that runs down from the north-east slopes of Mt Albert (Owairaka), north of Mt Albert Road. The upper section of Meola Creek flows along the boundary of the Mt Albert Grammar and through the Kerr-Taylor Reserve. The area around the creek is subject to a combination of residential, commercial and recreational activities, which result in the stream being entirely piped upstream of the Chamberlain Park Golf Course, and strongly contaminated with urban pollutants such as zinc and lead.
Meola Creek drains into an estuarine area of the mid-Waitemata Harbour
Waitemata Harbour
The quite famous Waitemata Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. For this reason it is often referred to as Auckland Harbour, despite the fact that it is only one of two harbours surrounding the city, and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Waitemata forms the north...
, on a low-lying part of the Auckland isthmus. This receiving environment has one of the longest histories of urbanisation in the Auckland region. The area around the estuary is actually a natural flood plain, much of which has been converted to parks and playing fields. Fortunately, a good portion of the mangrove forest remains intact. Te Tokaroa (Meola Reef
Meola Reef
The Meola Reef, or Te Tokaroa Reef in Māori is a lava flow forming a reef peninsula across part of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, New Zealand. It was formed 20,000 years ago from the final portion of a 10 kilometer long lava flow that originated from the distant Three Kings volcano...
) next to Point Chevalier
Point Chevalier
Point Chevalier is a suburb and peninsula in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. It is located five kilometres to the west of the city centre on the southern shore of the Waitemata Harbour....
forms the northern part of a 10 km long lava flow that originated from Three Kings volcano and flowed down a narrow creek valley. The reef extends for over 2 km across the Waitemata Harbour
History
Local Māori named the creek Te Wai O Te Ao, meaning "Water of the World". European settlers subsequently renamed it Meola Creek, possibly after a glacier in IndiaMeola Glacier
Meola Glacier or Athasi-Balati Glacier is the Himalayan glacier situated in the eastern part of Uttarakhand in the Pithoragarh district of India. Meola Glacier is located at the base of the five peaks of Panchchuli in the Lassar Yankti valley....
where Allan Kerr Taylor was born and lived until aged eight. The Kerr Taylor family lived near the source of Meola Creek in a large Indian-influenced house called Alberton, one of the most loved historic houses in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In pre-human times much of the area was wetlands; in fact, the nearby suburb of Sandringham
Sandringham, New Zealand
Sandringham is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand. Sandringham is a bustling, multi-ethnic suburb, and has a population of 10,800.Sandringham was named after the country house of Edward, Prince of Wales. This house, which is located in Norfolk, England, is the private property of the British...
used to be called Cabbage Tree Swamp up until the mid 19th century. Following European settlement, most of the area around the creek remained as gorse-covered swamp until it was finally drained and converted into school playing fields in 1953.
In June 2006 an Asiatic short-clawed otter called Jin made national news as it escaped from Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo is a zoological garden in Auckland, New Zealand, situated next to Western Springs park not far from Auckland's central business district. It is run by the Auckland City Council with the Auckland Zoological Society as a supporting organisation....
by swimming down Meola Creek on an outgoing tide and into the Waitemata Harbour. The fugitive otter was later captured on Motutapu Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
Threats
Recent chemical and biological analyses carried out on water quality and sediment indicate Meola Creek is in a poor condition. ChannelizationRiver engineering
River engineering is the process of planned human intervention in the course, characteristics or flow of a river with the intention of producing some defined benefit. People have intervened in the natural course and behaviour of rivers since before recorded history - to manage the water resources,...
and pollution have taken a hefty toll on its biota and fundamental hydrology. Pollutants such as heavy metals
Heavy metals
A heavy metal is a member of a loosely-defined subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties. It mainly includes the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides. Many different definitions have been proposed—some based on density, some on atomic number or atomic weight,...
and petrochemicals enter the creek via several stormwater
Stormwater
Stormwater is water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt that enters the stormwater system...
drains along the creek. Because it is situated in a heavily urbanised catchment there are high percentages of impervious surfaces such as roads, carparks and buildings (estimated at 94% of the total catchment area) - all ideal media for the flow of contaminants into urban waterways The creek also receives significant amounts of sediments via the drainage of excess groundwater from the school playing fields as well as slips caused by erosion. During high rainfall events the combined sewage-stormwater drain often overflows, discharging raw human excrement directly into the creek.
The problems, however, are not confined to the creek - within the Meola Reef settling zone (in the Waitemata Harbour), both zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
and lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
have exceeded alert levels, which means the benthic community (e.g., shellfish and other sediment-dwelling invertebrates) has been seriously impacted. Heavy metals such as zinc can persist in the aquatic environment for considerable periods of time, particularly in sediment. As a consequence, metals can accumulate in the tissue of benthic organisms and their predators at higher trophic level
Trophic level
The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain. The word trophic derives from the Greek τροφή referring to food or feeding. A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are, in turn, eaten themselves. The number of steps an organism...
s. Zinc has been shown to be toxic to aquatic plants and animals. In fish, waterborne zinc can disturb ionic regulation, disrupt gill tissues and cause hypoxia. How much of this can attributed to historical industrial pollution is not known. What is known, however, is that there has been a significant increase of zinc entering this receiving environment since the 1950s – the time when galvanized paint started to be used on rooftops within this increasingly urbanised catchment. In particular, industrial roofs have been found to have zinc levels significantly greater than other urban sources.
External links
- A section of the creek that runs through Kerr-Taylor Reserve is at coordinates 36.887962°N 174.72785°W
- St Lukes Environmental Protection Society (STEPS) - Society created to see the quality of the water in Meola Creek improved.