Welcome

Greetings, and welcome to our April 2018

RiskScape newsletter. We share our progress with

the software, how we and others have used it, key

projects we are working on, and other highlights in

this newsletter. In this edition, we farewell Kate

Crowley, NIWA’s project lead, who is heading back

home to the UK after over three years working on

RiskScape. We will miss her enthusiasm and drive

for the project, and wish her all the best with her

travels and future endeavours. Our team has

released a new version that everyone should

download and use, and we’re working hard on a

brand new version with many exciting features to

be released later this year. If you are using

RiskScape, we would love to hear from you to see

how you’re using it, and how RiskScape could be

improved further.

Sally Potter

Hazard & Risk Management Researcher, GNS

Science

Upgrade to the New

Version of RiskScape!

Get the new version from the RiskScape website:

https://www.riskscape.org.nz/get-riskscape

Important Notice:Users must upgrade to 1.0.3 to

continue to access the layer repository. The

repository connected with 1.0.2 (the previous

version) will be shut down in the future and there

will be no updates of the layers in the 1.0.2

repository.

Please Update your repository by downloading and

overwriting any RiskScape sourced layers in the

installed tab.

Kate’s Farewell

I will be leaving NIWA in March and handing over the

RiskScape NIWA lead role to the fantastic Ryan Paulik.

It has been my pleasure to work on the RiskScape

project for the last 3.5 years. I have had the opportunity

to work with so many brilliant people across New

Zealand and the wider Pacific. It has been the

opportunity of a lifetime to live and work in New

Zealand.

The RiskScape project is a keystone initiative and

brings together a range of people from scientists to

practitioners, it is therefore an exciting and challenging

project to deliver. It provides a platform for innovation

and partnership that drives forwards our knowledge

and understanding of disasters. I see RiskScape as

one of the best available tools globally, with a team of

experts who are committed to reducing the risks our

community experience and the future is incredibly

positive. With shifts towards a risk based mindset

RiskScape is well placed to deliver risk assessment

information to decision makers and support good

Disaster Risk Reduction. I am proud to have been part

of this movement and I am confident that the current

guardians of the project will take things forwards in new

and creative ways. I would specifically like to highlight

the incredible support we have received from our

champions based in universities, as well, central and

local government (you know who you are!) who have

supported the RiskScape team over the last few years.

It has not always been an easy journey but one worth

making and one that we cannot do alone. My husband,

Chris, and I are going to be taking a different journey

over the next 12 months, as we travel the ‘long route

back’ to the UK. I hope that I will get to work with you

all again in the future.

Kate Crowley

Bugs fixed:

• Earthquake functionality restored

• Usability/interaction of RiskScape with lines (e.g. Wellington

cables)

• Symbology (SC) relating to lines

• Tsunami bug.

Improvements:

• Repository updated

• Better layer metadata access.

Bugs discovered:

• Losses disappear after unselecting them in the symbology

tab

• If you use multiple screens the Repository window will open

on your main screen - this might be a different screen to the

one you are using RiskScape on

• Tsunami hazard layers were identified as a potential problem

if metadata info is not generated with the layer.

As always, we are keen to receive feedback to design new features, and

gain a deeper dialogue with our partners and users.

Want a 2-minute overview of RiskScape?

Check out our YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YsiDk2dguw

Upcoming

developments

for RiskScape

We are constantly

working to improve

RiskScape. Version 2.0

is under development

at the moment, and is

being rebuilt from the

ground up! We are very

excited about the

improvements and

increased functionality

to come in 2018. We

will keep you updated

in the coming months.

Image: Left to right: Tom Wilson (University of Canterbury), Kate Crowley (NIWA), Kristie-Lee Thompson

(University of Canterbury), Helen Jack (ECAN). Source: Matthew Hughes (University of Canterbury)

Tsunami workshops in the Chatham Islands.

Kate Crowley (NIWA RiskScape team) joined with Chatham Islands Council staff, University of Canterbury

researchers, and a representative from Environment Canterbury Regional Council (ECan) during a visit to the

Chatham Islands to learn more about how small island communities may cope if a major tsunami occurs. New

tsunami evacuation zones developed by ECan, and tsunami modelling undertaken by NIWA were introduced to

help the community better prepare for and understand their tsunami hazard.

This trip supported the research of Kristie-Lee Thomas, a student completing a Master of Science in Disaster

Risk and Resilience at the University of Canterbury. Kristie-Lee has been piecing together the history of tsunami

on the Chatham Islands and how lifeline infrastructure may be impacted during a future event. Kristie-Lee, and

her supervisors Matthew Hughes, Tom Wilson, Tim Davies and Helen Jack have been working alongside the

NIWA RiskScape team, specifically Kate Crowley and tsunami modeler Emily Lane, to develop impact scenarios

for a large tsunami event. Kristie-Lee’s whakapapa is from Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi on the Chatham

Islands and she has been exploring tangata whenua knowledge of the extent of inundation and the impact of

previous tsunami on the Chatham Islands, to help inform future planning and resilience. Kristie-Lee has been

supported in this process by supervisor Darren King (NIWA) of the Mātauranga Māori programme within

Resilience to Natures Challenge (National Science Challenge).

During the 5 day visit to the Chatham Islands, the joint team ran participatory scenario based workshops and

presented new tsunami evacuation zones, developed by ECan and the Chatham Islands Council, to the

community for feedback and discussion. Kristie-Lee shared informationgathered from tangata whenua

knowledge and documented accounts of damage from past tsunami events in the Chatham Islands. The team

also visited a Pā site, and a European homestead destroyed during the 1868 tsunami event, which was triggered

by a Mw 8.5-9.5 earthquake offshore of Chile.

The joint team will now review the outcomes of the workshops and over the next few months Kristie-Lee will be

drawing together her research.

Kristie-Lee’s research is supported by Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, the Rural Programmewithin the Resilience to

Natures Challenge, EQC, ECAN and RiskScape (NIWA & GNS Science).

RiskScape and Land Use Planning

A research project has been undertaken to consider RiskScape’s potential to provide valuable information to

inform and improve land use planning decisions. In New Zealand, land use planning decisions are regulated by

the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), which includes a requirement to quantify costs and benefits of

proposed policy options.

A plan change to the Operative Palmerston North District Plan for flood hazard management, was chosen as a

case study. The plan change sought to introduce a minimum floor level for new dwellings that exceeded the

0.5% AEP (Annual Exceedance Probability), in order to reduce flood risk. RiskScape was used to generate

quantitative damage information for two built environments – the damage caused during a 0.5% AEP event,

where new dwellings met the floor level requirement and the damage caused during the same event where the

dwellings did not meet the floor level requirement. The difference between the two sets of data showed the

damage avoided (in direct losses) by imposing the floor level requirement. While the use of this data would not

have changed the outcome of the planning assessment undertaken for the actual plan change, this information

would have satisfied the statutory requirements of the RMA and provided a strong evidence base for robust and

transparent decision-making.

The RiskScape outputs for the two built environments are shown below:

Direct losses under the 0.5% AEP flood scenario, without the requirement to raise floor levels in place (left) and

with the requirement in place (right).

Image: Dairy Farms Flood Impact Survey in the Bay of Plenty. Left to Right: Ame McSporran (University of

Canterbury), Darryl Jensen (FEDS President Bay of Plenty), and Ryan Paulik (NIWA). Source: Kate Crowley

(NIWA)

Dairy Farm Impacts from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie

In early April 2017, Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie caused flood damage to over 100 farms in Whakatane District.

Dairy farms were the most frequent land use type affected on the Rangitaiki and Whakatane river floodplains.

Federated Farmers of New Zealand organised five dairy farm visits for NIWA and University of Canterbury

researchers to collect informationt on farm damage to production and capital assets. Total direct and indirect

financial costs to individual dairy farms exceeded NZD $1 million in some cases due to loss of milk production,

stock transport and offsite grazing, supplementary feed purchases, damage to structures, clean-up and pasture

reinstatement. Recovery on all farms has been implicated by the ‘wet winter’ in 2017 and expectations for full

recovery to normal farming operations is expected in the next 2 to 3 years. Farmers have cited the significant

and ongoing stress the flood event has caused , especially to young farmers with little experience of flood

damage, less financial support and underdeveloped rural networks. The information collected provides a better

understanding of flood impacts on dairy farms that can be applied for vulnerability model development and loss

assessment to inform future emergency readiness, response and recovery activities in the rural sector [Ryan

Paulik, Kate Crowley]

RiskScape Trainings

We will be conducting RiskScape

trainings nationwide in late 2018.

If you are interested in having a

training near you, please contact

helpdesk@riskscape.org.nz

Workshops coming up

Understanding Risk workshop -

https://understandrisk.org/event-session/informing-

decision-making-in-the-face-of-adversity/

MCDEM Workshop -

https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/about/news-and-

events/events/national-emergency-management-

conference-2018/

PARTneR updates

New managership of the PARTneR project

With the departure of Kate Crowley from NIWA,

oversight of the PARTneR project has now been

transferred to recruit, Paula Holland, who joined NIWA

from the Pacific un January. (See new members of the

team.)

Four PARTneR team members were in New Zealand for

three weeks for vocational training in 2017:

Mr Johnny Tarry Nimau, PARTneR project coordinator,

Vanuatu NDMO (National Disaster Management Office)

Mr Paul Worwor, Information & Monitoring Officer,

Department of Agriculture, Vanuatu

Mr Titimanu Simi, PARTneR project coordinator, Samoa

NDMO (National Disaster Management Office)

Mr Tile Tofaeono, Principal Scientific Officer- Climate

Services, Samoa Meteorology Division

They have helped with training in Auckland and Victoria

Universities and were based in Wellington. The training

goals included: advancing the PARTneR case studies in

each country, working on the literature reviews towards

developing vulnerability functions for each case study,

attending workshops and project planning meetings

while they are here.

After their trip to New Zealand, they returned home to

continue development work with more workshops in-

country.

Image: Vocational training participants as part of

the PARTneR project. From left: Johnny Tarry

Nimau, Ben Popovich, Paul Worwor, Titimanu

Simi, Tile Tofaeono, and Juli Ungaro.

Disastrous Doctorates

RiskScape featured at the annual Disastrous

Doctorates conference, which was held in Auckland

on 7-9th Feb 2018. 40 PhD students from

universities across New Zealand carrying out

research on disaster risk reduction and hazard

management ran and attended the event. The aim

of the workshop is to provide a forum for doctoral

students to meet other students studying some

aspect of disasters. Richard Woods and Kate

Crowley presented on applied research, including

RiskScape, and past student research projects.

Students are encouraged to become part of the

RiskScape network, and to contact us with their

research plans and outcomes.

Vanuatu

In January 2018, ShengLin a field trip to Southern Vanuatu at Tanna Island to collect ash fall data. A team of

Vanuatu (Johnny Tarry Nimau (PARTneR); Peter Korisa, Lopanga Yerta (NDMO); Sandrine Cevuard (VMGD);

Lava Kapalu (Agriculture officer); Joseph Joel (Water supply officer); Taio Johnny (Tanna Provincial

NDMO)) and New Zealand scientists (Juli Ungaro (NIWA); Carol Stewart (Massey University); Sheng-Lin Lin

(GNS Science)) conducted a field trip to Tanna Island in Vanuatu to better quantify and understand different

impacts of ash fall on buildings and agriculture, including direct and indirect impacts between 22nd and 25th

January 2018.

The main visits focused on the

case studies sites and carried

out observation scoping,

questionnaires and interviews to

collect primary data needed for

modelling ash fall impacts. The

survey involved 23 interviews,

within 13 villages. The

information collected is intended

to develop ash fall fragility

function for Vanuatu buildings,

with potential applications to

analogous buildings in other

Pacific Island countries.

Image: From left, Carol Stewart, Sandrine Cevuard, Lopanga Yerta (Vanuatu

DMO), community members, and Peter Korisa (Vanuatu DMO) discuss ashfall

impacts in Vanuatu.

Mid-term review

2018 saw the commencement of a mid-term review of

the PARTneR project. Designed as a three-year

activity, the mid-term review aims to:

• review the relevance, quality, effectiveness

and impact of the programme to date;

• review the capacity and effectiveness of

the partnership (NIWA, GNS, SPC,

VDMO&VMGD, SDMO) to deliver the

programme; and

• provide recommendations for the second

half of the project and eyond.

Image: Staff at the mid-term review workshop, April 2018

Information and views for the mid-term review were sourced from three online surveys of stakeholders, person-

to-person consultations and a review workshop held in Fiji in April 2018. The report of the mid-term review –

containing findings and ways forward – has now been drafted and is with NIWA staff for review. All being well,

the report will be completed and made public by the end of April. For further information, please

contact: paula.holland@niwa.co.nz

Fiji

As part of Pacific Resilience Week in Fiji, Kate Crowley, Juli Ungaro and Titimanu Simi ran a 90 minute

PARTneR session and demonstration of RiskScape to 30 participants. Representatives from 5 countries.

Under the auspices of the PARTneR mid-term review (see separate article), a training workshop for RiskScape

in the Pacific was conducted in Fiji in April 2018. Attendees of the workshop included representatives from

Samoa and Vanuatu, as well as technical staff from SPC.

Samoa

In Samoa, case study workshops on landslides and

Tsunami have already been held, alongside an

advanced RiskScape training session. Shaun

Williams, Sheng-Lin Lin, Finn Scheele, and Kate

Crowley along with Titimanu Simi held an advanced

training session in Samoa in September 2017.

Ten participants attended the training, with

backgrounds ranging from within the statistics,

agriculture, hydrology, geophysics, planning and

urban management, fire services (first responder),

and disaster management fields.

Image: RiskScape and RiACT training in Samoa September 2017

The session covered:

• Review/refresher of DRM terms and concepts;

• Review of the RiskScape software features and risk-associated data types and storage;

• Hands-on practice in using the RiskScape tool and subsequent results analysis via a tsunami

scenario demonstration exercise;

• Hands-on practice using RiACT to collect asset (building) data;

• Processing of collected asset data and re-running the tsunami demonstration scenario using the

updated dataset;

• Group discussion on result applications within the DRR and land use planning contexts.

Immediate next steps for Samoa under the project include: co-development of the tsunami case study which

includes identification of the hazard, asset and vulnerability models to be used.

If you would like to find out more about RiskScape, please contact the team

at helpdesk@riskscape.org.nz.

The RiskScape user manual is on the wiki: https://wiki.riskscape.org.nz/index.php/Overview

If you have any questions whilst using RiskScape, you can lodge a help request

through https://support.riskscape.org.nz/

www.riskscape.org.nz

RiskScape is a collaboration between GNS Science (www.gns.cri.nz) and NIWA (www.niwa.co.nz).

RiskScape Trainings

Victoria University

On 9 November, 8 people, mainly post-grad students from Economics and Geography departments at

Victoria University, plus 4 PARTneR Pacific Islanders attended training with Sally Potter, Kate Crowley, and

Sheng-Lin Lin. The workshop covered risk assessments, a RiskScape introduction, (including a tutorial of

cost-benefit analysis of raising floor levels for Heathcote storm tide), and an overview of developing

vulnerability functions.

University of Auckland

Approximately 15 engineering students and lecturers attended a training workshop on 10 November

2017. Richard Woods, Ryan Paulik, Nick Horspool, Juli Ungaro and our Vanuatu and Samoan colleagues

presented an introduction to RiskScape, builder tools, vulnerability models, fragility functions and research

opportunities. Good discussions were had on future research opportunities and the next phase of

redevelopment for RiskScape.

University of Canterbury

Kate Crowley, Jade Arnold and Matthew Hughes ran a pilot training session in August for the future

University of Canterbury RiskScape Training Hub. The 20 students who attended completed 4 exercises

exploring risk analysis, management and decision making. The students are studying GIS for Disaster Risk

Reduction and used their RiskScape tutorial results to create maps of hypothetical scenarios.

The RiskScape training Hub (UoC) is planning to run its first stand-alone training session, led by Matthew

Hughes, early in 2018. This 1-2 day course will cater for University staff, postgraduates and local

practitioners.

Image: An example of a comparison for a 100 year ARI storm surge (used during the UoC training) is shown

for three scenarios of sea level rise, from NIWA's climate change toolbox

Meet new members of the team

Paula Holland

Environmental Economist. Paula’s specialties are: End user engagement, risk science

communications, and future planning. Paula says “I am an environmental economist and

development practitioner with a particular background in the economic dimensions of

sustainable development and risk management (e.g., climate change adaptation and

disaster risk). In economic analysis, my work targets issues such as cost benefit analysis

(e.g., of risk management interventions), and economic valuation. I also have a Pacific

island interest and provide support to risk-focussed work in the Pacific region.”

Ben Popovich

Hazard and Risk Analyst who specialises in vulnerability functions for water related

hazards. Ben states “I am a hazard and risk analyst with NIWA who is focused

predominately on developing vulnerability functions for flood events interacting with various

types of infrastructure. My background is in structural engineering and has dealt mostly

with the structural response of reinforced concrete coastal infrastructure to natural

hazards. My previous work involved fragility models and many of the pieces from that

work fit in well with the RiskScape project”

Titimanu Simi

PARTneR Coordinator Samoa. Key roles are end user engagement, using RiskScape in

Samoa to help forecast the impact of natural Hazards, and training people to use

RiskScape. As a Disaster Management Officer with Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources

and Environment, Titi is helping to prepare his country for future cyclones and other natural

hazards.

Johnny Tarry Nimau

PARTneR Coordinator Vanuatu, is involved with end-user engagement; and RiskScape

communications and knowledge exchange in developing case study modelling. Johnny

graduated with a BA Geography & Public administration and Management

Finn Scheele

is a Risk Specialist at GNS Science. Finn’s specialties are: new risk modelling

methodologies (e.g. post-event residential habitability and human displacement) and end

user engagement. Finn is a risk specialist with a background in geology and natural hazard

management. He has experience in impact modelling for natural hazards, and a strong

interest in further developing models that match the needs of end users. Finn is most

interested in work that expands risk modelling concepts and techniques to take into

account the requirements of different contexts, for example Pacific island countries