Sub-surface stratigraphy of Stella Passage, Tauranga Harbour.

Port of Tauranga Ltd supported two initiatives designed to develop a greater understanding of the distribution of sediments below Stella Passage (Figure 1), particularly relating to areas that may require future dredging: (1) As part of INTERCOAST PhD research by Ehsan Jorat, Port of Tauranga provided logistic support for a series of high-resolution Cone Penetration Test (CPT) soundings along a transect on the western margin of Stella Passage in February – March 2012; (2) Port of Tauranga provided part-funding of a Summer Scholarship student (Amy Christophers) over the 2012/13 summer, particularly to look at pre-existing cores and core descriptions. In addition, the University of Waikato undertook a series of sub-bottom seismic profile measurements in Stella Passage as part of a Summer Scholarship funded by the University over the 2012/13 summer. This report summarises the current state of these investigations