Coasts

This system combines daily sea-level data from NIWA, regional councils, port companies, Antarctica NZ, Bureau of Meteorology and territorial authorities.

Estuaries are at the bottom of the freshwater drainage network and, effectively, are a part of it.

If you're collecting sea shells at the beach this summer and wondering what they are, NIWA is here to help.

Dog Island levels

NIWA scientists have made the rare discovery of a days-old ghost shark during a recent survey off the east coast of the South Island.

An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from the land meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

New Zealand’s coast is sculpted by ocean waves. Some wave conditions bring joy to surfers and beachgoers, but, at other times, waves can cause major hazards at sea or along the shore.

A hot and steamy summer saw Kiwis heading down to rivers and lakes to cool off. But they weren’t the only ones enjoying the warmer weather – algae had a great time too.

In comparison to the vast span of geological time, the estuaries that we see today are very recent coastal features.