Styx River Earthquake Effects

The urban development of Brooklands in the lower Styx River Catchment is at risk of flooding and is predicted to be significantly impacted by sea level rise. The recent Canterbury earthquakes have further exacerbated the flood hazard in Brooklands. This paper highlights the natural and regulatory changes due to the earthquakes.

The earthquakes had a major impact on the Styx River Catchment, including: land deformation, changing river and floodplain profiles and damaged built infrastructure. These impacts have an effect on the nature of the flood hazard in Brooklands. This paper presents the earthquake physical effects and the assessment of change in flood hazard. It also discusses and the range of outputs required to make engineering decisions on the future of Brooklands, within the context of a changing regulatory environment where decision makers have required detailed analyses of this complex system to be undertaken rapidly.