Moratorium to Save the Aramoana/Spit and Murderers Surfbreaks.

 

To : Otago Regional Council

 

With consideration of Coastal Permit Application RNl1.153.01 by Port Otago Ltd

 

 

We the undersigned,

Request that Otago Regional Council consider the impacts of adding to the spoil mounds at Aramoana/Spit and Heywards Point offshore dump sites on the Nationally protected surf breaks at Aramoana and Murdering Bay.

 

When swells travel toward a beach, a great deal of the energy lies under the surface, much like the profile of an iceberg.

When a swell encounters a rise in the seafloor it slows, and rises. The friction creates drag, dissipating the swells energy, as the swell encounters the shore, it again rises and 'shoals' then finally breaks as a wave, thus dissipating all its energy. Once the spoil grounds reach a level where the waves break continuously over the spoil mound, only degenerative effects will be observed in the inshore surf conditions.

Martin Single stated in 2003 that the spoil mound at Aramoana/Spit was already full,  with 60% retention of spoil.  Now in a bigger swell, waves begin to shoal over the Aramoana Spoil mound.( see video evidence above).

The Aramoana spoil mound is currently at a depth of 5-7 metres from the surface. Continued dumping of 600,000 cubic metres  of dredged spoil over the next 3 years will raise the mound by up to 2 metres.

 

These surfbreaks are recognised for their quality in the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010, policy 16,  and cannot be mitigated for, they must be protected.  

 

We believe that Dunedin is in danger of losing a unique amenity to the surfing community nationally and internationally.  These surf breaks are major draw cards for attracting students to study in our city. 


Please study the effects on Wave Quality with appropriate scientists that specialise in this field before deciding on further depositing of spoil at these sites. 

 

 

 

Thank you