This work was undertaken under the Future Coasts Aotearoa programme Research Aim 2 within the Te Puuaha| The Lower Waikato River case study
The New Zealand Water Model (NZWaM), which currently models river flows across New Zealand, is being used to simulate the impact of tidal inundation on estuary water levels during high flow events. This is achieved by using a parsimonious ‘tank model’ to represent an estuary at high tide (Figure 1). The model is currently being validated for the Ashley River in Canterbury (Figure 2) and will then be used to assess the impact of higher tidal inundation associated with future sea-level rise scenarios. The model will be trialled at two other locations in New Zealand with a view to extending the model at a national scale.
