The fight to combat ongoing coastal erosion along Adelaide’s metropolitan coast will be helped by the deployment of three sophisticated buoys to measure real-time wave data in Gulf St Vincent.
The MV Southern Ranger leaving Port Adelaide en route to the first deployment site offshore Semaphore Beach. Image Credit: Flinders University
“By creating the first network of wave observations in the gulf, these buoys will provide long-term real-time data that improves scientific understanding of the wave climate in our local waters,” says oceanographer Dr Graziela Miot da Silva from Flinders University, who leads a team of researchers from Flinders University and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI).
Adelaide’s metropolitan coast and its sandy beaches have been artificially maintained by sand nourishment programs since the 1970s by the State Government.
The area has ongoing issues with coastal erosion due to northwards wave-driven sand movement, exacerbated by historical seagrass loss, that has increased sediment accumulation in the northern beaches and loss along the central and southern parts of the coast.
“To help address the ongoing coastal sand movement, we need to better understand wave movement in much greater detail – and deploying these cutting-edge Spotter wave buoys sending real-time data is an important tool that will monitor changes in wave conditions, such as increases in wave height,” says Dr Miot da Silva.
Two buoys were launched off Semaphore Beach and Brighton Beach during August, with a third buoy deployed in Investigator Strait during September to capture the largest waves that enter the gulf from the Southern Ocean.
This trio of new Spotter wave buoys provides a vast improvement to local wave measurement practices, as there has previously been only one buoy measuring and providing wave data in South Australia, located off Kangaroo Island.
Data from the three buoys will inform morphodynamic models to predict future changes in Adelaide’s metropolitan coastline from climate change and sea level rise, promoting best coastal management practices, including seagrass and reef restoration.
“The provision of accurate wave data is critical to improve our understanding of variations in the hydrodynamic processes that shape our coastlines, and this will inform best coastal management practices, drive the development of marine industries and help promote and support tourism,” says Dr Miot da Silva.
“Ultimately, this will benefit important ongoing coastal management initiatives – especially sediment nourishment practices to maintain the Adelaide metropolitan beaches.”
The data, consisting of wave height, period, and direction, as well as wind speed/direction and sea surface temperature, will also help inform search and rescue operations, commercial and recreational fishermen, marine dredging and navigation operations, and water-based research and monitoring programs.
The data will be freely available online via a website that is being developed. This project is a collaboration between Flinders University, SARDI, SA Water and the SA EPA (Environment Protection Authority) and funded by the SA Department for Environment and Water through its Coastal Research and Development Grant Program.
*SARDI is the research division of the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions.