A new project has been installed in two Bay of Plenty estuaries to monitor the impact of rising sea levels.
The equipment was installed in Athenree Estuary and Ōhiwa Harbour last month to understand whether coastal wetlands can survive the inevitable threat.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council contracted NIWA to install 12 Rod Surface Elevation Tables, or RSETs.
Coastal wetlands containing mangrove and saltmarsh habitats must accumulate sediments and gain elevation at the same rate, or more rapidly, than sea-level rise if they are to survive.
Their survival is critical because they function as a long-term sink for stormwater contaminants, support biodiversity and provide nurseries for estuarine and coastal species.