New paper details the ins and outs of enhancing NZ Active Faults Database with property scale data
Active fault surface traces are visually identifiable at the earth surface and indicate areas prone to metres of fault rupture during a large earthquake.
Thanks to a major upgrade to the GNS Science New Zealand Active Faults Database (NZAFD) and webmap, users can explore high-resolution active fault surface traces down to the property scale for some regions.
A new paper published in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics(external link) describes, for the first time, the high-resolution dataset of the New Zealand Active Faults Database, its intended purpose, and recent improvements to the dataset to increase useability, compile data and improve GIS infrastructure.
The improvements include a high-resolution (1:10,000 scale or better) active fault surface trace layer on the webmap along with Fault Avoidance Zones and Fault Awareness Areas, where available, which are important for land-use planning.
GNS Science Senior Paleoseismology Technician and lead author of the study Regine Morgenstern said that while the data are not new, a pressing need to raise awareness of the high-resolution dataset and make it freely available in a single source prioritised the work.
“Knowing where New Zealand’s active faults are located can help people make informed decisions about where to build and make existing infrastructure more resilient to the effects of earthquakes,” Regine said.
It is expected the dataset will be useful for councils, homeowners, hazard planners, infrastructure managers, geotechnical practitioners and researchers to better understand the potential location of surface fault ruptures during future large earthquakes, at a relevant scale.
“Although this publication marks a major milestone for the dataset, this work is by no means complete as we continue to map faults in detail and discover new ones using LiDAR data recently collected across much of New Zealand.
“As more high-resolution data are collected and investigated, we will get a clearer picture of the effects of future large earthquakes – such as the level of ground displacement and the potential impacts on people, buildings, critical infrastructure and the natural environment.
“This can inform where and how we build, and with the right mitigations and building design in place, potentially redefine the areas currently deemed unsuitable for development.”
The high-resolution data is currently only available for Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui (Horizons), Wellington and Tairāwhiti Gisborne regions as well as the northern Alpine and Wairau faults. More areas will be added as funding permits and work progresses.
The NZAFD-HighRes dataset is a compilation of many research and consultancy projects completed since the NZAFD was first established. The work was supported by the NZ Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) through the Hazards and Risk Management and Understanding Te Riu a Māui / Zealandia programmes and their predecessors (Strategic Science Investment Fund) and the Capability Development Fund (CDF).
