Thames protection and resilience project November 2024 update

In April 2019 we began a Shoreline Management Pathways (SMP) planning project for the Coromandel’s 400 kilometres of coastline. The aim was to establish adaptation pathways for reducing risks to people, property, the environment and tāonga associated with coastal hazards in the short- and medium-term. The long term goal of the project is building resilient communities and hapū that are capable of adapting to risk.

The SMP project produced 138 unique pathways for each section of the Coromandel coastline, based on local community values, aspirations and risk appetites. The pathways were adopted by Council in September 2022, and included protection as the preferred pathway for Thames.

The protection of Thames is now a high priority for our district. The SMP project showed that $1billion in assets in the township are at risk over the long-term from hazards associated with coastal storms and flooding caused by climate change and sea-level rise.  A prioritisation process was undertaken that assessed importance (taking into account social and economic value, environmental consequence, and value to tangata whenua) against urgency.

The project’s design approach is to use barriers to prevent coastal flooding over the next 100+ years, adapting in stages, through barrier height increases, to a potential sea level rise of one metre.

The area of foreshore being considered for protection runs from Hape Stream near the Toyota Factory to the Victoria Park/Croquet Club.

The default option is to build stopbanks with mild slopes and a wide crest, as these can be easily raised in the future. In other sections of the foreshore, such as locations with space constraints (e.g., Pak N Save), vertical walls may be needed.

Examples of design:

The project will design and estimate cost for protection options for Thames. This work will inform future decisions about what might get constructed and where, within the foreshore areas identified, says project manager Amon Martin. The intention is to include community amenities, such as footpaths and cycleways, along the protection where possible.

“Understanding how the protection interacts with existing community assets, like the small gauge railway, is also important. Creating stopbanks along the foreshore provides an opportunity to improve amenities but this will need to be balanced against costs,” he says. “We’re also looking at Nature Based Solutions, like oyster islands and shell banks on the ocean side of the stopbanks/walls, to offer another layer of protection and create habitat for seabirds.”

To review the basis for design (proposed design heights and staging approach) and give feedback on protection options (stopbanks or walls) and alignments (shoreward or landward), see the documents on the right-hand side of the project webpage here or email Karen.Moffatt-McLeod@tcdc.govt.nz

A governance group, chaired by our Mayor Len Salt, is progressing the Thames protection and resilience work as a district priority. The group includes representatives from our Council, Ngāti Maru and Waikato Regional Council. 

By sharing knowledge and areas of expertise, together we hope to shape a future for Thames that complements our existing amenities, protects our significant assets, and enables our economy to thrive.

Project work currently underway includes working closely with Waikato Regional Council staff to understand how river flooding risks interact with coastal hazards, and incorporating these into the protection design.

Because so many of the Coromandel’s services and infrastructure are based in Thames, the entire region will benefit if Thames is resilient and able to grow, and project responsibilities will reflect that.

“Thames is the economic nerve-centre of our district, home to the bulk of the Coromandel’s service provision, maritime industry, healthcare and business infrastructure,” says our Mayor Len Salt. “We’ve committed to work together to ensure Thames is resilient, and able to grow, for generations to come.”

As part of this commitment, Ngāti Maru is providing direction and valuable input on locations of particular significance to iwi and will continue to play a key role.

The project team is also continuing to work with WRC on how its existing river protection infrastructure will integrate with the proposed coastal protections. At the same time, work is being done at a national level as part of the Inquiry into Climate Adaptation which may provide direction on how we address the broader challenge of climate adaptation.

Parliament recently released the final report of Finance and Expenditure Committee on its Inquiry into climate adaptation. The full report can be read here.

Options to fund Thames coastal protection will go to community consultation before any decisions are made, and will likely include a mix of central agency contributions and targeted rates.

Funding for the design work of the project is allocated through the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan. Costs associated with construction are still being worked through and we expect to be able to provide an update on these at the next public meeting. Once the cost estimates are finalised, work to determine who pays for which components will begin.

“Any future proposals on rateable contributions to the construction phase will go to our community for discussion,” confirmed our Mayor Len Salt. “We also think there’s a strong case for central government input given the assets which will benefit from protection, including our state highway. Once the design work is complete and costed, that will allow us to pursue specific and targeted discussions with various agencies on funding options, with the intention of ensuring that those who will directly benefit from the project contribute to its success.”

For example, Richmond Villas Retirement Village has proposed partnering with TCDC to fund and deliver the section of coastal protection associated with its property. 

The proposed partnership includes Richmond Villas leading the engineering, design and construction process for the section of protection in front of its property, and covering all associated costs.

The next public meeting is proposed to be held in Thames in early December to update the community on project progress. The meeting will provide an update on:

• The recommended foreshore protection, presented by project consultants Royal Haskoning DHV.
• An estimate on the expected costs associated with coastal protection construction.
• Initial findings of the interaction between  fluvial, or river, hazards and risks to Thames, and how these intersect with coastal hazards and impact the project.
• Background on existing river protection including a very brief history of the Waihou Valley Scheme.

The meeting time and date has not yet been confirmed, but is expected to be held in early December 2024. 

Please subscribe to our newsletter here and follow us on Facebook for updates.