Sustainable use of freshwater resources requires managers to understand the relationships between flow and instream values. While these relationships are available for most freshwater biota, limited tools are available that quantify the relationships between flow and cultural values. The present study aimed to develop quantitative relationships between Maori freshwater values and flow magnitude.
A score card was developed that quantified how observed flows supported fisheries and cultural values. Cultural health scores were recorded across a variety of flow magnitudes for each of five Rivers in the South Island of New Zealand. Mixed-effects models were then fitted to see: 1) if relationships were present between flow magnitude and cultural health; 2) if these relationships differed between streams and participants.
There was a positive relationship between flow and cultural health scores after differences between sites and observers were standardised. If differences between sites and observers were ignored, there was a positive relationship between flow and cultural health that only explained 5% of the variation in cultural health scores. If differences between sites and observers were accounted for in the analysis, there was a positive relationship between flow and cultural health that explained 61% of the variation in cultural health scores.
The present study provides a framework for quantifying relationships between cultural health and flows at different sites. Results suggest that these relationships could be developed into quantitative tools that could be used improve flow management decisions.