seashore simulation

Hi all,

I'm trying to do this thing: my project is this structure that starts of flat, lying on a seashore and when the water level rises and reaches the "springs" connecting the pieces, they contract {shrink} forcing the components to rotate and get into the 3dimentional shape {see the png}. As the water level rises gradually, springs should also contract one by one - not the whole structure at once. 

So I'm having trouble with two things:

1. Can't figure out the way for the structure to "lie" ON the shore/ground. Not bounce of, not intersect, just simply lie or slide on it when moving. 

2. I would like to have this "water rising" thing, which is now just a mesh being extruded upwards,  included into kangaroo forces somehow, so I wouldn't need to restart the simulation every time I change the water level. 

Any help would be highly appreciated!

agnete