Sedimentary Strata Studied

Waipaoa River was recently visited by a team of international scientists gathering data for research into how materials from land are moved through and accumulated in the ocean and, in particular, how floods carry sediments along the coast. The Waipaoa River, which drains the East Cape region of the North Island, is the focus because it is small yet discharges a large amount of sediment, which enables scientists to more easily access and measure the system. East Carolina University professor and chief scientist on the expedition JP Walsh of the Department of Geological Sciences said the knowledge gathered may be valuable to understanding how pollutants like oil are dispersed or buried in the seafloor. “Also because our historical records of storms are limited, sedimentary strata created in the ocean can provide key insights into how such events have varied over time, perhaps in response to climate change,” Walsh said.