Coastal Management

Specialist services to support sustainable management of coastal, estuarine & ocean environments.

MetOcean Solution’s employs specialist numerical tools and GIS systems to understand the wave, wind, tidal, sediment, morphology and hydrological dynamics of specific coastal environments.

Our targeted and process-based studies support government, environmental agencies and developers by providing coastal marine forecasts, environmental data, hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics.

Our science team provides:

Coastal marine forecasts.png — Coastal Marine Forecasts

A coastal hazard system to warn of impending storm surge and hazardous conditions.

Detailed assessment of local wave, wind, tides and currents.

Advanced particle tracking tools for understanding dispersal and plume dynamics.

Assessment of coastal sediment dynamics and erosion.

Coastal management services

Historical ocean weather data

Data from state-of-the-art numerical hindcasting techniques are used to prepare high quality environment data for specific coastal sites, as well as broad geographic areas. With validation from local measurements (when available), data sets ranging back to 1979 are available for any location worldwide.

Metocean site reports

Metocean data for specific sites provide a detailed assessment of the oceanographic and meteorological conditions at the exact location of interest. Based on high quality hindcast information reaching back to 1979, a rigorous analysis of the waves, winds and 3D currents is supplied for guidance in projects such as dredging, coastal development, erosion or scientific research

Sediment transport studies

Sediment transport studies can be carried out for any coastal location, using numerical models to replicate the dominant physical processes. Our scientists have extensive experience developing practical, cost effective sediment management programs for ports and harbours, regional councils, governments and environmental agencies.

Hydrodynamic modelling studies

Numerical modelling can be used to examine 2D and 3D hydrodynamics of offshore, coastal and estuarine environments. We have developed advanced particle tracking tools that operate with hindcast flow fields, allowing dispersal and plume dynamics to be rapidly generated. These tools are used to simulate the dispersal of: suspended sediments, waste water outfall (including microbial dieoff), fluvial discharges and invasive spread of organisms by passive advection.

Coastal hazard weather forecasts

Hazard forecasts are delivered via the MetOceanView web platform, plus automated emails. The system provides site-specific guidance, along with comprehensive forecast maps and charts. High resolution customised forecasting domains are used to predict the onset of potential hazardous situations due to waves, winds, tides, storm surge and coastal currents – with user-defined thresholds.

News & case studies

Featured

Operational wave forecast model upgrade

To ensure the highest possible performance at MetOcean Solutions, we continuously improve our models to match state-of-the-art science. Our science team is currently working on implementing the Spherical Multiple-Cell (SMC) grid in the global wave model WAVEWATCH III. SMC grids are unstructured, supporting flexible domain shapes and variable resolutions.

New Zealand coastline mapping using satellite imagery

Globally, coastlines are subject to significant environmental and anthropogenic pressure. To effectively manage and plan coastal use and adaptation, stakeholders need to understand historical coastline variability as well as have visibility on the existing state of the coastline.

Impact Of Heavy Rainfall on Coastal Water Quality Captured in MetOcean Model

Models available on MetOceanView forecast elevated concentrations and advection of E. coli and Enterococcus spp in the Tasman and Golden Bays following extreme weather in July 2021.

Operational High Resolution Hydrodynamic Forecast Model for Cook Strait

MetOcean Solutions has recently operationalised a high-resolution hydrodynamic forecast model for the wider Cook Strait region and Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.

Modelling tsunami propagation to New Zealand coast

On Friday March 5th, three severe earthquakes struck along the Kermadec Trench, with each subsequent earthquake stronger than the last. The earthquakes resulted in authorities issuing tsunami alerts throughout the South West Pacifici Islands, including New Zealand.

New Moana Project forecast predicts marine heatwave in the Chatham Islands

The Chatham Islands (Rēkohu) are expecting a strong marine heatwave this weekend as forecast by the Moana Project’s new marine heatwave forecasting tool.

NZ’s first marine heatwave forecast live

Seven day forecast of sea surface temperatures set up to predict marine heatwaves.

As climate change affects our oceans, marine heatwaves are likely to become more common and intense in New Zealand waters.

La Niña confirmed for New Zealand

Numerical modelling by MetOcean Solutions Research and Development team is being used to track the impact of the predicted La Niña conditions on New Zealand’s waters. La Niña brings a tendency for warmer than average ocean and air temperatures for New Zealand once it becomes established.