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Auckland Council has released an interactive map showing which properties are most at risk from the forces of coastal erosion.
At Scotts Landing, the map shows erosion lines severing the peninsula into an island and the Leigh Harbour walkway is depicted as susceptible to eroding away completely.
The new map considers rising sea level forecasts from the Ministry of Environment and shows lines that predict what areas might be unstable by 2050, 2080 and 2130.
Council geotechnical lead Ross Roberts says just because a property is within an unstable area does not mean it will be underwater in 30 years, but it is reason to be cautious.
He adds there is no immediate danger of the formation of a Scotts island, but the forecasts will guide future road decisions as the land becomes narrower. Concerning the Leigh Harbour walkway, he says that pathways are the least concerning infrastructure at risk, as they can be shifted as coastlines move.
Mr Roberts says properties atop coastal cliffs are most at risk, and the further inland the instability lines are from the cliff, the higher the risk there is that a slip will take a large chunk with it.
“Be observant. It may not be a problem now, but if you notice little landslides on your property, you may want to get technical advice,” he says.
The new lines are part of a two-and-a-half year study that has mapped Auckland’s 3200km coastline and uses data collected over 20 years to predict the rate of coastal erosion.
Mr Roberts says that erosion is an inevitable process and the data will help Council manage the city’s coastal assets.
“The risk is that the more we develop susceptible areas, the more pressure there is to defend them. Council cannot afford to build a seawall right around Auckland,” he says.
Council already requires developments on the coast to undertake geotechnical studies and the new lines will be used to inform these studies. They will also be included in the unitary plan.
View the map at: https://aucklandcouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3ded5342789f4af48deb906a3c05cabe
