EARTH231

New Zealand's water resources are coming under increasing pressure for human use, while their management requires that they also provide for healthy freshwater ecosystems. This paper describes the key physical processes that influence the distribution of water in space and time from a New Zealand perspective. Topics covered include atmospheric processes at a range of space and timescales that ultimately affect the availability of water across New Zealand's diverse landscapes, including changes in climate into the future; a description of New Zealand's water resources and key hydrological processes acting on water and affecting its availability; and utilisation and modification of hydrological systems and processes by human activities.