Otago Regional Council has been collecting and analysing information about the natural hazards faced by South Dunedin and the Harbourside area.

South Dunedin Future is a joint programme between Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council to find ways to respond to climate change and flooding problems in South Dunedin. Find out more about the programme here

We’ve been looking at the history of the landscape, the relationship between groundwater and land, sea level rise and other risks to the area.

A groundbreaking GNS Science report, produced in partnership with ORC, sheds new light on the behaviour of groundwater beneath South Dunedin and Harbourside and what this could mean for the future.

The study, based on analysis of data from the ORC-operated groundwater monitoring network in South Dunedin and Harbourside, looks at what causes change to groundwater levels, such as sea level rise, tides, storm surge and rain. This information was used to forecast the behaviour of groundwater into the future.

This research shows what is happening now and forecasts what we could see in the future at 10 cm steps in sea level rise. You can view interactive maps of the current and forecast groundwater levels in South Dunedin and Harbourside on the Natural Hazards Database Portal.

The GNS Science report is available from GNS Science and on the ORC website

We continue to invest in research to find out more about what lies beneath South Dunedin.

• Discover the history of reclaimed Dunedin and how we monitor the natural hazards of the area through this Google Earth tour
• South Dunedin Future is a joint programme between Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council to find ways to respond to climate change and flooding problems in South Dunedin. Find out more about the programme here