Info
Piercam A
The Project
Computer controlled video monitoring of the New Brighton Beach gives viewers a running display of coastal conditions along the Christchurch shoreline.
Environment Canterbury uses the information to help communities make better decisions about the long-term management of the region's sandy coasts.
Previous data collection has been limited to occasional and irregular visual observations. The video camera system offers the first real opportunity to obtain reliable long-term data on coastal zone dynamics and processes.
Environment Canterbury
Environment Canterbury is responsible for preserving the natural values of the region's coastal environment.
Environment Canterbury covers a land area of 4,222,000 hectares from Kekerengu in the north to the Waitaki River in the south. The Main Divide forms the western boundary and the region extends 12 nautical miles into the Pacific Ocean.
The main role of Environment Canterbury is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources, primarily under the Resource Management Act 1991.
Environment Canterbury plans for and manages wide-ranging activities. Its work is split into 12 significant activity areas: the coastal environment, harbours, air quality, civil defence, energy, management of hazardous substances and waste, land, natural hazards, pests, public passenger transport, regional land transport, and water quality and quantity.
The Cam-Era site
Environment Canterbury has positioned its Cam-Era station overlooking Christchurch's New Brighton Beach – a sandy beach typical of those found along southern Pegasus Bay.
New Brighton Beach is a flat, medium to high energy beach that is composed of fine sands which, in the past, have been derived from the continental shelf but now have the Waimakariri River, 12 km to the north, as their predominant source.
Results from Environment Canterbury surveys conducted during the past 10 years have shown that Christchurch beaches, including New Brighton, have grown on average about 0.5 metres per year. The beaches however, have a history, which shows that periods of growth (such as that experienced over the last 10 years) are interrupted by periods of erosion that can result in shoreline fluctuations of many metres.
Prior to European settlement, the Christchurch sand dunes were dominated by native plants and, in particular the native sand-binder Pingao. The Pingao population was significantly diminished due to grazing and burning and today the introduced Marram grass is the main sand-binding plant found on the dunes.
Without proper management, sand dunes are highly susceptible to erosion by wind and from unmanaged public access. The Christchurch City Council's Coast Care unit undertakes management of the Christchurch beaches. Coast Care carries out a programme of dune stabilisation by managing public access, enhancing dune vegetation (including the re-establishment of native species), repairing eroded dunes and by constructing and maintaining sand fences.
For further information, contact Brodie Young or Justin Cope, Environment Canterbury.
