The hydrodynamic and estuarine physics of Maketu Estuary Thesis
- Author
- Domijan, N.
- Year
- 2000
- Journal / Source
- PhD thesis
- Publisher / Organisation
- The University of Waikato
- Pages
- 395
- Summary
- Maketu Estuary is situated -35 km southeast of Tauranga in the central Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The hydrodynamics of the estuary was drastically altered when the large Kaituna River was diverted directly to the sea in 1957 as a part of the flood protection scheme. This dramatically changed the inlet hydrodynamics, caused deleterious effects on sedimentation and navigation, and catastrophic effects on the large area of wetlands on the estuary margins. This thesis represents study of the relative importance of physical processes (hydrodynamic and sedimentary) which govern the overall physical behaviour of Maketu Estuary in response to the 1996 partial re-diversion of the Kaituna River back into the estuary.