Future Coasts Aotearoa

The inundation frequency of low-lying coastal land is increasing as water tables rise in response to increasing sea level

Future Coasts Aotearoa is a five-year MBIE Endeavour research programme which aims to transform coastal lowland systems threatened by sea-level rise into resilient, prosperous communities. Led by NIWA, this multidisciplinary project combines expertise in indigenous culture, economics, social, and physical science to tackle this important challenge by enhancing the evidence base for sea-level rise risks, building fit-for-purpose & holistic wellbeing evaluation tools and applying the tools in adaptive planning and decision-making frameworks for a range of case study sites.

KSL is working closely with research hydrogeologists at GNS and the University of Canterbury to develop impact and adaptation thresholds for shallow groundwater and seawater intrusion, develop a national coastal groundwater hazard exposure assessment, and national and local models of seawater intrusion and water table shoaling with and without adaptation solutions such as pumped drainage. Keep an eye on our blog and LinkedIn pages for updates on the research process. For more information about the Future Coasts Aotearoa project, visit this summary page put together by NIWA.