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Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

The Avon and Heathcote Rivers, located in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, are lowland spring-fed rivers linked with the Christchurch Groundwater System. At present, the flow paths and recharge sources to the Christchurch Groundwater System are not fully understood. Study of both the Avon and Heathcote Rivers can provide greater insight into this system. In addition, during the period 2010-2012, Christchurch has experienced large amounts of seismic activity, including a devastating Mw 6.2 aftershock on February 22nd, 2011, which caused widespread damage and loss of life. Associated with these earthquakes was the release of large amounts of water through liquefaction and temporary springs throughout the city. This provided a unique opportunity to study groundwater surface water interactions following a large scale seismic event. Presented herein is the first major geochemical study on the Avon and Heathcote Rivers and the hydrological impact of the February 22, 2011 Christchurch Earthquake. The Avon, Heathcote, and Waimakariri Rivers were sampled in quarterly periods starting in July 2011 and analyzed for stable Isotopes δ¹⁸O, δD, and δ¹³C and major anion composition. In addition, post -earthquake samples were collected over the days immediately following the February 22, 2011 earthquake and analyzed for stable isotopes δ¹⁸O and δD and major anion composition. A variety of analytical methods were used identify the source of the waters in the Avon-Heathcote System and evaluate the effectiveness of stable isotopes as geochemical tracers in the Christchurch Groundwater System. The results of this thesis found that the waters from the Avon and Heathcote Rivers are geochemically the same, originating from groundwater, and exhibit a strong tidal influence within 5km of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary. The surface waters released following the February 22nd, 2011 earthquake were indistinguishable from quarterly samples taken from the Avon and Heathcote Rivers when comparing stable isotopic composition. The anion data suggests the waters released following the February 22nd, 2011 Christchurch Earthquake were sourced primarily from shallow groundwater, and also suggests a presence of urban sewage at some sites. Attempts to estimate recharge sources for the Avon-Heathcote Rivers using published models for the Christchurch Groundwater System yielded results that were not consistent between models. In evaluating the use of geochemical constituents as tracers in the Christchurch Groundwater System, no one isotope could provide a clear resolution, but when used in conjunction, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, and DIC, seem to be the most effective tracers. Sample sizes for δ¹³C were too small for a robust evaluation. Variability on the Waimakariri River appears to be greater than previously estimated, which could have significant impacts on geochemical models for the Christchurch Groundwater System. This research demonstrates the value of using multiple geochemical constituents to enrich our understanding of the groundwater surfaces-water interactions and the Christchurch Groundwater System as a whole.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Flowers float down the Avon River during the River of Flowers memorial event. The photographer comments, "One year on, Riverside residents gather for a 2 minute silence and to cast flowers in the river. Riverside residents met at the Medway St bridge to commemorate the anniversary of the 22/2/11 quake".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated photograph of the badly twisted Medway Street footbridge. The photographer comments, "This bridge over the Avon River in Christchurch, New Zealand has been left in place since the first major earthquake back in September 2010. Graffiti artists or taggers are still leaving their marks on it even though it is nearly twisted at 90 degrees at one point".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph submitted by Jennifer Middendorf to the QuakeStories website. The description reads, "22 February 2012. River of Flowers commemoration at Riccarton Bush. Flowers float down the Avon.".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Flowers float down the Avon River during the River of Flowers memorial event. In the background, residents and workers look on. The photographer comments, "One year on, Riverside residents gather for a 2 minute silence and to cast flowers in the river. Riverside residents met at the Medway St bridge to commemorate the anniversary of the 22/2/11 quake".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Flowers float down the Avon River during the River of Flowers memorial event. In the background, residents and workers look on. The photographer comments, "One year on, Riverside residents gather for a 2 minute silence and to cast flowers in the river. Riverside residents met at the Medway St bridge to commemorate the anniversary of the 22/2/11 quake".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Flowers float down the Avon River during the River of Flowers memorial event. In the background, residents and workers look on. The photographer comments, "One year on, Riverside residents gather for a 2 minute silence and to cast flowers in the river. Riverside residents met at the Medway St bridge to commemorate the anniversary of the 22/2/11 quake".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A two-storey house in Avonside Drive with a warped upper balcony. The photographer comments, "This house is on Avonside Drive opposite the Avon River. The land in this area spread laterally and had bad liquefaction of the soil. This caused some houses to sink into the ground, but as the balcony supports did not sink as much the balcony came to rest at a crazy angle".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph submitted by Jennifer Middendorf to the QuakeStories website. The description reads, "22 February 2012. River of Flowers commemoration at Riccarton Bush. After the two minutes silence, people cast their flowers into the Avon.".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A view down Beresford Street in New Brighton, looking west towards the city at sunset. The photographer comments, "On the other side of the Avon river from New Brighton is the Bexley red zone. Here numerous earthquake damaged streets of houses will be flattened due to it being to uneconomical in the current climate to repair the land to be suitable for housing. There is a campaign at the moment to try and convert all this red zone land, which is mainly adjacent to the Avon river to a giant park".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

An earthquake-damaged bridge, the approach to which has slumped. The photographer comments, "Due to lateral spread and the land slumping the road leading to this bridge has moved down greatly. Just imagine making the street lamps upright and how much that section of road would rise up at the end. When you go over bridges in the east side of Christchurch it is quite a climb up and a big drop down on the other side. The bridges in most cases coped very well, but not so the land leading to them".

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

With the land dropping about 1metre to 1.4metres after the earthquakes, a few roads besides the Avon and Heathcote Rivers are flooded with very high tides. Extra stop banks (on right) erected after the quakes have helped, but the road is now well below high water level. New Brighton Road, just short of New Brighton. The Pages Road bridge may b...

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

A month after the 1st anniversary of the deadly Christchurch earthquake (22/02/11) a road cone lies on New Brighton Road, alongside the Avon River. Part of the earthquake 1st anniversary remembrance was for people to place flowers in road cones (and there are hundreds of thousands in the city). Many had flowers in them, as this one did. Photo ...

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A wooden house in Wainoni has visibly bowed inwards towards its centre. The photographer comments, "During the numerous earthquakes in Christchurch the land which ran alongside the Avon river on Avonside Drive slumped towards the waterway. In a line parallel to the road the road, but around 20m away a ground movement occurred which caused some houses to rise up or sink down".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A badly damaged house in Burwood. Parts of the house have moved in different directions, leaving walls and doors misaligned. The photographer comments, "Although this looks like an extreme wide angle shot it is actually a house tilted in every direction at the same time. The earthquake caused the ground to vibrate and compress so much that the sandy soil liquefied and caused the ground to collapse under this modern home".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A sewage pumping station on Avonside Drive has been lifted out of the ground by liquefaction. In the background, the damaged Snell Place footbridge over the Avon River is closed off with cordon fencing. The photographer comments, "A Sunday afternoon ride to New Brighton, then back via Aranui, Wainoni, Dallington, and Richmond. Not a cheerful experience. Dallington footbridge. The two pieces of this foot bridge have moved towards each other, so the bridge has developed quite a peak. The sewage pumping station has been heaved out of the ground by hydraulic pressure during quakes".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Large cracks run through the brick cladding of this house in Wainoni. The photographer comments, "During the numerous earthquakes in Christchurch the land which ran alongside the Avon river on Avonside Drive slumped towards the waterway. Houses which were wooden framed and had an external brick veneer started to sink into the liquefied soil. This caused the brick walls to crack, but the houses' occupants though shook up were saved by the wooden framework from the houses collapsing on them".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A residential street in New Brighton. Liquefaction still lines the street, and lampposts are leaning in different directions. The photographer comments, "This is the New Brighton red zone, which is parallel to the Avon River. The area suffered serious liquefaction during the numerous earthquakes/aftershocks and the land is being bought by the government. Although the houses do not look too bad in the background they have suffered badly. On the day I took this picture the council had just hours before cut the grass, which made the area look less abandoned".

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

The 4 September 2010 Darfield and 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquakes caused significant damage to Christchurch and surrounding suburbs as a result of the widespread liquefaction and lateral spreading that occurred. Ground surveying-based field investigations were conducted following these two events in order to measure permanent ground displacements in areas significantly affected by lateral spreading. Data was analysed with respect to the distribution of lateral spreading vs. distance from the waterway, and the failure patterns observed. Two types of failure distribution patterns were observed, a typical distributed pattern and an atypical block failure. Differences in lateral spreading measurements along adjacent banks of the Avon River in the area of Dallington were also examined. The spreading patterns between the adjacent banks varied with the respective river geometry and/or geotechnical conditions at the banks.