Sea-Level Change and Coastal Stability in South Australia

Abstract

The South Australian policy on coast protection and new coastal development relies in part on local records of coastal erosion, flooding and sea-level change but has also incorporated the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates of greenhouse induced eustatic sealevel rise. The application of this policy requires an accurate determination of local sea-level change. This paper examines two approaches for getting better estimates of local sea-level change. First, South Australian case studies are used to illustrate localised differences in sea-level change records adjacent to historic tide-gauge sites. Second, the paper illustrates the use of an inexpensive GIS-based approach for determining coastal vulnerability assessment. The paper discusses the potential impact of sea-level change on various types of South Australian coasts and demonstrates the importance of recognising different sea-level histories, together with an understanding of coastal processes in order to assess coastal stability.