Coastal Erosion Risk Mitigation Plan

Waikato Regional Council's Coastal Erosion Risk Mitigation Plan aims to develop a pattern of land use and development that enables coastal communities to live with coastal erosion and minimises the need to modify natural coastal processes. Risk mitigation plans define the roles of Waikato Regional Council, district councils, and the community in managing the impacts of potential natural hazard events.

Coastal erosion hazard problems are widespread in the Waikato region, with many areas prone to coastal flooding. Much of our coastal development has occurred too close to the sea, while predicted global warming effects may see a significant rise in sea levels in our coastal marine areas. We need to manage these coastal hazards carefully so we can protect our coastline’s future. This entails a level of risk that can be appropriately lived with, not necessarily the absence of risk.

Waikato Regional Council's Coastal Erosion Risk Mitigation Plan aims to achieve efficient and effective erosion risk management through a partnership approach for a number of activities including:

• hazard assessment
• dune management (through the beachcare programme)
• management of coastal structures
• site specific hazard management strategies
• targeted education and information campaigns
• monitoring and review.