Natural hazards in the Tasman district include flooding, coastal erosion and inundation, earthquakes, liquefaction, landslides, droughts, and wildfires. These hazards can impact the natural environment, the built environment and our wellbeing. We cannot control the forces of nature, but we can reduce their impact by building our resilience to withstand and recover.
Tasman District Council responds to natural hazards in a variety of ways. These include managing land and resource use (e.g. through zoning and controlling land use activities), prevention or harm-reduction of the hazard (e.g. flood monitoring and warning, flood protection schemes, raising ground and floor levels on new buildings in flood prone areas, avoiding new buildings on fault lines or in flood prone areas), and emergency response to events.
We want to ensure that anyone living in Tasman is aware of the natural hazards that might affect them. As a council, we are improving our knowledge about local hazards and sharing that information with affected landowners and communities. This work will enable people with a stake in our district to better understand the extent of the hazards we face, while we support communities to prepare and build their own resilience.
We have started work on a natural hazards plan change(external link) to the Tasman Resource Management Plan (TRMP). As part of this process we have reviewed our knowledge of geological natural hazards (slope instability, active earthquake faults, seismic liquefaction), undertaken detailed computer simulations of flooding and stormwater flows (flood modelling), updated coastal hazards and sea level rise mapping with the most recent information; and are looking to better understand the risk of wildfire in the district. Council also monitors rainfall, and river flows and maintains a comprehensive flood warning system.
We’ve started a project to bring together our natural hazards spatial data into a single, online, easy to use, natural hazards map viewer. While this work is under development, you can view the following existing interactive maps:
For other hazards, you can email [email protected] or phone 03 543 8400 for further information.
How Council’s natural hazard information and maps will affect property insurance is top of mind for a number of homeowners. In the first instance homeowners should contact their insurance provider to discuss their specific policy. Council cannot advise property owners about the implications of mapped information on the ability to obtain insurance or on insurance premiums.
We know that the insurance industry uses both national and local government-produced natural hazards data, along with their own assessments, to quantify natural hazard risk to help determine insurance coverage and/or premiums.
The Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake(external link) (NHC) has information on insurance and the claims process and making your home safer from natural hazards. They also have a Natural Hazards Portal Claim Map(external link) , illustrating settled NHC claims at a property level from 1997 to present.
Deep South National Science Challenge has developed an easy-to-read infosheet for homeowners, with important frequently asked questions about how insurance companies might respond to increasing climate hazards. Read more about house insurance and climate change. (external link)
We know from long-term temperature monitoring that Tasman is getting warmer. The effects of climate change increases the intensity and frequency of weather related natural hazard events such as coastal and river flooding, drought, and erosion. These hazards will get more severe over time and many of our homes, businesses and infrastructure are located in coastal areas or beside rivers.
Climate change is also starting to affect what can be grown and where. A warming climate means new pests and diseases will impact our primary industries and Tasman’s primary industries are significant to our local economy. A warming climate may also provide new opportunities for primary industries to grow different crops.
The Council has considered the effects of climate change in our work programmes for many years. We provide further leadership and advocacy through the Tasman Climate Response and Resilience Strategy and Action Plan which aims to drive reductions in Council emissions and improve resilience. As well as working to mitigate emissions and the problems affecting us, we need to work together to ensure that, as a community, we are prepared and ready to adapt to our ever-changing environment.
The Council uses natural hazards information to inform a number of Council functions and work programmes including:
Damaging natural hazard events can and do happen in Tasman. In some cases, there may be limited warning (such as a weather-related events), in others there may be no warning (such as earthquakes).
In an emergency, you may be isolated at home for three days or more without your normal services such as electricity, internet, water and wastewater etc. Roads and bridges may be impassable. It can take time to get a full emergency response under way and services restored, so you need to be prepared to help yourself, your family and your neighbours in the immediate hours and days after a significant event.
For information on how to get prepared, visit the Nelson Tasman Emergency Management website(external link).
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