On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Atmospheric analysis

NIWA has been using advanced scientific instruments to measure atmospheric trace gases and isotopes for over 50 years.

  • (no image provided)

    NeSI - the New Zealand eScience Infrastructure

    The High Performance Computing Facility underpins the New Zealand eScience Infrastructure (NeSI) initiative.
  • catfish

    Freshwater pest species

    This is a user guide on non-native fish, reptile, invertebrate, algal and plant species that are recorded in New Zealand freshwaters.
  • (no image provided)

    Glossary of Coastal Terms

  • (no image provided)

    Winners of NIWA Wellington Science Fair announced

    News article
  • (no image provided)

    Mapping beach types & hazard assessment

    An explanation of how New Zealand beach types are classified and mapped and how the different beach types and their associated hazards are identified.
  • (no image provided)

    Reflective + tidal mud flats

    A tide-dominated system, with a narrow reflective high-tide beach composed of coarse sediments, fronted by wide (100's to several 1000's of metres), low gradient (
  • (no image provided)

    Reflective + ridged sand flat

    Moderate to steep, narrow, high tide beach, with shore parallel, sinuous, low amplitude, evenly spaced sand ridges extending out across the inter- to sub-tidal sand flats.
  • (no image provided)

    Reflective + sand flats

    Reflective + sand flats beaches have a small steep (3-10°), very low-energy high-tide beach composed of coarse sand, fronted by flat featureless sand flats up to several hundred meters wide and composed of finer sand.
  • (no image provided)

    Ultradissipative

    Ultradissipative beaches have a relatively straight, steep, cuspated high tide beach, and a low gradient concave, featureless, wide (averages 400-500 m) intertidal zone.
  • (no image provided)

    Reflective + bars & rips

    Reflective + bars & rips beaches have a relatively straight, moderately steep, narrow, and coarser sand, cuspated high-tide beach, fronted by a lower gradient, relatively featureless intertidal zone.
  • (no image provided)

    Reflective + low tide terrace

    This is the lowest energy of the tide-modified beaches and also has the coarsest sand.
  • (no image provided)

    Dissipative

    Dissipative beaches are characterised as being high energy beaches with a wide surf zone (300-500 m) including two to three shore normal bars and troughs, and a low-sloping and wide beach face consisting of fine sand.