Coasts

Latest news

New reports highlight flood risk under climate change

21 August 2019

Two reports released today by NIWA and the Deep South National Science Challenge reveal new information about how many New Zealanders, how many buildings and how much infrastructure could be affected by extreme river and coastal flooding from storms and sea-level rise.

When the sea gives back – a story of luck and decency

Media Release

15 May 2017

NIWA puts a lot of things in the ocean—instruments tied to moorings, floats that dive up and down measuring what’s going on in the water, and video cameras that monitor fish.

Massive mudslides in Kaikōura Canyon destroy seabed life

Media Release

27 February 2017

Huge mudslides from November’s earthquakes have wiped out all organisms living in the seabed of the Kaikōura Canyon.

Mitchell’s odyssey from stream to ocean

Media Release

14 September 2016

New Zealand continues to punch above its weight in global environmental issues, with three Kiwis seeking a positive change to our oceans in Washington this month.

Our work

Historical changes in juvenile fish habitats

NIWA is looking for people who have had a long association with the Hauraki Gulf or Marlborough Sounds to help them with a research project on juvenile fish habitats.

Coastal adaptation to climate change

NIWA is developing guidelines and advice to help coastal communities adapt to climate change.

Plastic pollution processes in rivers

Most of the plastic in the ocean originates on land, being carried to the estuaries and coasts by rivers. Managing this plastic on land before it reaches the river could be the key to stemming the tide of marine-bound plastics. The aim of this project is to understand the sources and fate of plastic pollution carried by urban rivers using the Kaiwharawhara Stream as a case study.

Restoration of seagrass beds in Whangarei Harbour

Seagrass beds form an important undersea habitat for small fish, seahorses and shellfish in New Zealand.

Latest videos

Shifting Sands

Dr Joshu Mountjoy discusses NIWA's work in assessing the tsunami hazard just south of Kaikoura.

Find out more about this research.

Antarctic Coastal Marine Life in a Changing Climate

NIWA marine ecologist Dr Vonda Cummings discusses the likely effects of climate change on marine invertebrates living on the seafloor of the Ross Sea coast.

Next Stop Antarctica

Our Far South is an expedition that aims to raise New Zealanders' awareness of the area south of Stewart Island. Gareth Morgan, Te Radar, scientists and 50 everyday Kiwis are onboard to learn and then share their experience. This is the first video produced by them, showing some of the highlights of the trip so far.

Association of Women in the Sciences

28 July 2011 to 29 July 2011

NIWA is sponsoring the Association of Women in the Sciences (AWIS) conference being held in Auckland.

For more information about the conference see AWIS conference website

Antarctic marine ecosystems

All aquatic ecosystems are strongly driven by physical processes, and nowhere is this more true than in Antarctica.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: news

Short articles and related news.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: introduction

All aquatic ecosystems are strongly driven by physical processes, and nowhere is this more true than in Antarctica.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: team

The science team includes plant and animal ecologists with expertise in a range of fields.

Photo_Non_geniculate_coralline_algae_Campbell_Island_Cooper.jpg

Non-geniculate coralline algae - Campbell Island (Department of Conservation, S.Cooper)

Shallow Survey 2012

30 August 2011 to 31 August 2011

Abstracts submission for the 6th internation Shallow Water survey conference are due on Wednesday 30th August. This conference will explore the latest developments in shallow water surveying.

Follow this link for more information and to submit abstracts.

Electrical Conductivity Logger - Unidata 6536D

This measures and records the Electrical Conductivity (EC) and temperature of water.

Water Depth and Temperature Sensor - Unidata 6542B

This analog output sensor provides accurate long-term measurements of water depth and temperature in bores, drains and rivers.

Starflow - Unidata 6526

This ultrasonic Doppler instrument is a compact, easy to use system for measuring water flow in rivers, channels and pipes.

Water Level Encoder - Unidata 6541

Uses a float and counterweight system to convert water level into an electronic output that can be read by a datalogger. Accurate to within a millimetre over a wide range.

Prologger - Unidata 7001B

This has 16 analog inputs with an accuracy of better than 0.1% of full scale. You can configure inputs as single ended or differential and select from four input signal ranges.

Neon applications software

The Neon Applications software is a suite of software and documentation which allows clients to set up their own Neon system on existing server hardware, or new server hardware located at the client’s premises.

Neon Remote Terminal (NRT Satellite) - Unidata

The NRT is a small self-contained unit which connects to sensors, records readings from them and transmits the data to a central server via satellite communications.

Neon Remote Terminal (NRT Terrestrial) - Unidata

The NRT is a small self-contained unit which connects to sensors, records readings from them and transmits the data to a central server via a cellular telephone network.

Other recent additions to our website

NIWA is developing a model to help predict the effects of land-use change on nutrient concentrations in estuaries. Follow the links to read the project pages on the CLUES estuarine toolkit.

Where will the young fish play?

Seagrass meadows provide vital habitat for juvenile fish, but are disappearing at an alarming rate in many places. NIWA scientists are finding out more about the role seagrass plays in the life of young fish.

New NIWA post-doc studies ocean acidification

A new post doctoral fellow at NIWA – Dr Claire Guy – is investigating the ecological impacts of ocean acidification on key Antarctic shellfish.

Preparing coastal communities for climate change

As the climate changes and sea levels rise, coastal communities become more vulnerable to hazards like coastal inundation and erosion. NIWA is working with coastal communities and councils on how to adapt to these impacts.

Nationwide rig shark survey completed

Scientists from NIWA and Massey University have surveyed rig shark (aka lemon fish) nurseries in 13 estuaries nationwide. They also recorded a number of environmental parameters, which will help scientists understand more about the preferred habitats of rig sharks.