Freshwater Values: River Values Assessment System (RiVAS)
We have further developed and applied the River Values Assessment System (RiVAS), a tool for ranking the rivers in a region for a given use or value.
RiVAS applications are now available for nine values (salmonid angling, irrigation, native birdlife, white-water kayaking, swimming, natural character, tangata whenua, hydropower, and native fisheries). Jetboating, hydropower and whitebaiting tools are in development.
In the Tasman and Hawke’s Bay case studies, we are also exploring how RiVAS assessments can help inform collaborative decision-making and how RiVAS can be used to support the National Objectives Framework. Numerous reports on the application of RiVAS are available.