Project Start Year: 2025
The severe weather events of 2022, 2023 (including Cyclone Gabrielle) and early 2026 caused widespread and long-lasting environmental and infrastructure damage across the Coromandel Peninsula, leaving its communities economically strained and – at times – isolated.
The Coromandel Peninsula Erosion and Sediment Reduction project extends flood mitigation work to remediate waterways severely impacted by these weather events.
Work includes a mix of soft and hard engineering methods to control erosion, the removal of blockages and debris in waterways, and fencing and planting riparian margins to improve streambank stability during heavy water flow.
This reduces impacts on critical roading networks, productive land, tourism assets and lifeline infrastructure during extreme weather events, which are happening more frequently due to climate change.
Benefits
This project includes improving and enhancing channel capacity, riparian planting and reducing streambank erosion to safeguard agricultural land from flooding, increasing productivity and minimising economic losses associated with flood damage.
Reducing erosion and sedimentation supports water quality outcomes for aquatic ecology, recreation, fishing and the aquaculture industry.
The project creates employment opportunities for local contractors, supporting economic resilience and growth.
Adaptation and resilience
Flood mitigation supports community resilience by reducing the impacts and duration of flooding. It safeguards economic stability, environmental health and community wellbeing in the face of climate change and extreme weather events.
The increase in frequency and intensity of heavy rain events and rising sea levels, combined with the low elevation land-sea interface and short, steep catchments of the Coromandel Peninsula, have increased flood and erosion risk for its communities.
The repair and prevention of damage caused by these events is often cost-prohibitive for individual landowners, although the impacts and benefits are widespread.
Collaboration
This project has been co-funded through the Regional Investment Fund (RIF), Waikato Regional Council and landowners.
Where applicable, collaborative works planning will occur with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and Thames-Coromandel District Council.
The Coromandel Peninsula Erosion and Sediment Reduction project will help to deliver economic benefits by protecting agricultural land, lifeline key roading infrastructure, tourism values and small communities, which are vital to the Coromandel Peninsula's economy and social fabric. It will also contribute to wider catchment and environmental benefits.