Client: Connell Wagner
Location: Ringarooma Bay, Tasmania

Key Services Provided:

• Coastal and Marine Processes
• Hydrodynamics
• Risk Assessment

Overview

Water Technology has been engaged by Connell Wagner to prepare a coastal hazard risk assessment for a proposed development at Ringarooma Bay on the northeast coast of Tasmania. The purpose of the study is to carry out a coastal hazard risk assessment for the development including a consideration of the potential impacts of climate change and associated sea level rise. The relative risks associated with the coastal hazards identified in this assessment were rated via a risk assessment methodology. The coastal hazard assessed included:

Short Term Beach Erosion. Dynamic, short term recession or breach of the foredune system by wave action and elevated water levels exposing the development site to potentially more frequent coastal inundation
Long-term Coastal Recession. A sustained and progressive erosional recession of the high tide water mark along the coastline that exposes the development to more frequent coastal inundation or the impacts of the landward migration of the dune system
Coastal Inundation. Inundation of the development site by elevated storm tide and wave setup water levels at the coastline.

The adoption of this methodology to the coastal hazards indentified in this assessment ensured the various risks were treated consistently and rigorously and provided heightened confidence in the conclusions of the assessment for subsequent decision making and planning. The risk assessment methodology highlighted the degree of uncertainty that exists in the assessment of the various coastal hazards.