New Wave Measurement Network Tracking Climate Change Impact on Victoria’s Coastline and Port Phillip

A new wave measurement network is outputting real-time data, providing greater clarity on the effect of climate change on the Victorian and Port Phillip Bay coastlines.

Image Courtesy: Ierodiaconou

The data is recorded by small Spoondrift buoys located in coastal waters, and larger Triaxys buoys anchored further offshore in Victorian and more recently extending in to Port Phillip Bay waters. The data collected provides government mitigation options for reducing the impact of climate change on coastal areas, such as better management of coastal erosion.T he wave data is also publicly available for emergency services and surfers.

University Professor Ian Young, who is the joint lead researcher of the project has alerted an increase in wave size in the southern ocean, and has highlighted an urgency to understand ocean wave dynamics. Deakin University Associate Professor, Daniel Ierodiaconou, who also leads the program, said the data provides insight into how waves are influencing the distribution of marine habitats like kelp forests and seagrass beds. A change in wave climate also influences the distribution of key fisheries species like abalone and southern rocklobster. Thus, the data will be central to monitoring how these fish larvae will disperse and settle in the future.

The network’s development can be attributed to the University of Melbourne and Deakin University researchers in collaboration with the Victorian Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) as part of the Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program.

Check out vicwaves.com.au

Last edited on the April 12th, 2021.