Managing erosion in Ōrewa
Ōrewa Reserve's coastline is facing serious erosion issues due to rising sea levels and climate change.
As part of the Ōrewa seawall project, we are building a seawall and shared path at the northern end of the beach between Marine View and Kohu Street. The narrow section of esplanade reserve is vulnerable to erosion. Without the seawall, there will be no walking access during high-tide.
Getting approval for the seawall project was a challenging and costly process for the council. The proposal went to the Environment Court for the final decision.
This is why we are considering other ways to manage erosion along Ōrewa Beach.
Restoring the dunes
As sea levels rise, beach areas in front of seawalls will become increasingly submerged during higher tides.
Restoring the dunes at the reserve will help maintain an area of dry sand on the beach even when the tide is high. This will provide a larger area of beach for the public to enjoy.
Project overview
The Ōrewa Reserve Future Management project aims to manage erosion by restoring the dunes at the reserve. This project aligns with the Shoreline Adaptation Programme that looks at how we manage the effects of climate change on Auckland’s coastlines.
We want to create a gentle slope through the dunes to the beach. This will be better than the sharp drop off between the reserve and the beach that often happens due to erosion.
In time, the restored dunes will look like the dunes at the southern end of the beach in front of the Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park.
Ōrewa Reserve is an ideal location for dune restoration because there is enough space to:
- allow the high tide to find its natural position
- restore dunes in the correct location
- plant native grasses on the dunes.
