Rotorua Environment

Nutrient Management Rules Area – Rural

Rotorua is situated approximately 55km inland from coastal Bay of Plenty with a mild, temperate climate and average mean temperatures ranging from 8°C in winter to 18°C in summer.  The Lake Rotorua catchment rises in elevation from 290m above sea level (asl) at Rotorua Airport to 560m asl on the Mamaku Plateau.  This higher elevation contributes to the increased incidence of frosts during winter and slightly cooler temperatures than those experienced at the coast.

The Lake Rotorua catchment, incorporating the Nutrient Management Rules Area, is approximately 30 km across from the Mamaku plateau in the west to the Whakapoungakau range in the east, and around 22 km from the northern to the southern boundary.

The key elements in the biophysical environment that affect the viability of different land uses are:

• The climate;
• the soils; and
• the topography of the land.

These sections examine each of these elements in relation to the Lake Rotorua catchment and also look at potential effects of climate change on Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty over the course of the 21st century.

The Lake Rotorua Catchment Map provides a useful tool to see how your property is affected by rain, soil and slope of the land.