NIWA’s Post

A new online tool that identifies areas at risk from groundwater flooding has been developed by New Zealand scientists. 💡 The Shallow Groundwater Screening Tool identifies areas at threat from water table rises, based on existing groundwater measurements, and will help hazard and land-use decision-makers understand the scale of the problem and which areas are likely to be the most vulnerable. ⚠️ Groundwater rises with sea levels, particularly in coastal and low-lying areas, and can be pushed even higher by persistent rainfall. Groundwater flooding is often overlooked as a threat, however it is a hazard that traditional flood defences such as stopbanks and seawalls cannot contain because the water comes up from underneath. High groundwater causes soggy ground, water ponding, surface flooding after heavy rain and, as a result, damage to assets such as roads, underground infrastructure and building foundations. 💧 It’s not all bad though, shallow groundwater can be beneficial for some ecosystems and for buffering droughts. The tool was developed as part of the NIWA-led Future Coasts Aotearoa research programme in collaboration with Kōmanawa Solutions Ltd, GNS Science and the University of Canterbury. Find out more about the tool here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ehtFE6Vc Read the full story here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e-FcJEKp