Waihi beach storm damage

Storm damage at Waihi Beach that's damaged access structures and chocked steam outlets with debris can be expected for the next 20-30 years.

That's the view of Waikato University's expert on tsunami and storm surge protection, Dr Willem de Lange.

Beach access repairs are a priority.

According to Willem, storm erosion like the one on October 1 is likely to become more frequent.

As a result of the erosion, a number of beach accesses have been cordoned off. Contractors will be repairing some timber access structures to the beach and removing others which have collapsed or broken apart.

Significant debris, including large timber logs, has been deposited within the creek and stream outlets along the coastline. Consideration will also be given to what additional dune planting may be required.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council utilities manager Kelvin Hill says the cost of repairs won't be known until after consultation with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council over what they can and cannot do with resource consents.

'What we are allowed to do on the beach is routine maintenance,” says Kelvin.

Bu they are looking at building substantial sets of steps to get past the 5-6 metres scarps that have been left in places.

'Down the other end where we have the rock revetment and dune enhancement, there seemed to be less effect,” says Kelvin. 'It seemed to get the southern end of Waihi Beach where it is a bit more exposed.”

But according to Willem, this is all part of a cyclic pattern that takes generations.

'I did say back in late 90s that we could expect a phase of erosion extending through the first 20-30 years of this century that would eventually do this,” he says today.

The Waihi beach is growing over the longer term, but there are phases of accretion and erosion – addition and subtraction that overlay the longer term growth.

'We haven't quite got back to the area it cut into by the end of the 1970s, because we had another phase of erosion from the Second World War through to the late 1970s then there's been accretion since then up till around the start of this century,” adds Willem.

'And in the places where they have managed to get dune vegetation established there has been more accretion, so it has taken longer to cut back. When I was there a couple of weeks ago it is only a meter or two away from where it got to in 1978.”

The beach erosion is more noticeable towards the Bowentown end, because of the angle of approach.

The seawall at Waihi Beach - a series of large stack sand bags - was constructed after the Environment Court found against local residents who thought dune planting would provide better long term protection.

Willem is on the dune planting side of the debate but acknowledges the Western Bay of Plenty District Council is trying to protect houses that are built too close to the beach and are now endangered as the beach front land erodes.

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