Urgent move to stop floodwater entering former Franz Josef dump
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Urgent moves were made to divert water away from the old Franz Josef rubbish dump after residents expressed concern the Waiho River could cut through as floodwaters started to rise.
Amidst the stormy weather on Wednesday, authorities were actively monitoring West Coast rivers in case of possible flooding but by Thursday morning the worst had passed without any significant issues in the region.
There had been some “significant” hourly rainfall totals on Wednesday, particularly in the Westland ranges, West Coast Emergency Management Group director Claire Brown said.
West Coast Regional Council staff were monitoring rivers, especially the Waiho, and on Wednesday engineering staff decided to act on temporary protection of a vulnerable floodwall between Canavans Knob and Rata Knoll, downstream of the township.
The bank protects the closed rubbish dump from the river and was the subject of a heated discussion between council engineering staff and Waiho Flat residents.
Waiho Flat farmer Richard Molloy said the risk on Wednesday was “extremely severe”, as the stopbank had already been compromised by a flood in April “and then left” by the council.
This week’s weather only exacerbated the risk as the river was the highest it had been for some time, with risk of the main channel turning towards the undermined protection bank, he said.
“We’ve got a real bad situation down here, they’ve done nothing with this bank. The risk is extremely severe.”
He claimed council staff at the site told landowners it was “too late” to do anything, but he believed a decent digger could do a lot, even at that late stage.
“Of course you can turn the river – it’s not the main body of the river, but a significant channel.”
It appears the council listened before releasing a press statement later in the day.
“Some short-term protection by a local contractor has been arranged for later this afternoon to ease some of the pressure in a localised area and provide assurance to the community,” acting chief executive Rachel Vaughan said on Wednesday.
“This is a temporary fix and long-term solutions for the Waiho continue to be investigated.”
Meanwhile, plans for flood protection work elsewhere on the West Coast are continuing to progress.
A $2.5 million project to lift the height of the existing Greymouth floodwalls will be under way towards the end of March.
The added height would allow the wall to cope with an even more extreme event than the big twin floods of 1988 that prompted construction of the floodwall
The West Coast Regional Council decided to upgrade much of the existing wall structure to a new 50-year flood level, with concrete work to be upgraded to a 150-year flood level.
Infrastructure project leader Scott Hoare said the project had been split into five stages.
Overall, the walls on both sides of the Grey River and in the suburbs of Cobden and Blaketown would be raised by up to half a metre in most places. They would also be widened by just over 1m to accommodate the extra height.
It had to go through design and budget before being tendered.
Addressing the weak point in the Hokitika River stopbank near Westland Milk Products will also be prioritised in the first stage of a proposed project to top up the flood defences from Kaniere to the river mouth.
Just before last month's local election, now retired Westland mayor Bruce Smith warned the weak point in the bank, just above the dairy factory, should be urgently addressed by the regional council to avoid “litigation flying”.
Smith also warned both councils would want to avoid being sued, as happened after the Waiho (Waiau) River overtopped the stopbank at Franz Josef in 2016 and flooded Scenic Circle's old THC Hotel.
Council infrastructure projects leader Scott Hoare said they were now reconsidering the order of the planned Hokitika protection works.
The council had to consider the “mobilisation and demobilisation” costs of engaging a contractor specifically for a temporary fix as opposed to getting on with the permanent improvement and keep to the budget, he said.
“It does add extra costs when you split it up.”
In Westport, a business case for a $56 million flood protection scheme has yet to be seen by Cabinet.
The town has just endured another storm watch in the past 24 hours – with residents again on tenterhooks, spurring “bloody panic”.
Snodgrass Rd resident Paul Reynolds said people were still struggling after the 2021 flood, which left a $100m trail of destruction in its wake.
“We can't get on with life because we've got a $100m threat every time we've got heavy rain,” Reynolds said.
Regional council chief executive Heather Mabin told councillors the Department of Internal Affairs had advised there had been a delay in getting the business case to Cabinet. The full proposal was submitted with the Government in June.
Associate Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty said the Westport case was “under active consideration”.
“Every time we get these flood events, as we have just had, there's bloody panic at Westport,” regional council chairperson Allan Birchfield said.
“Really, [the Government] need to get on with it. The people up there can't live like this – a constant state of emergency every time it rains.”
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
-
64.6% Yes
-
32.9% No
-
2.5% Other - I'll share below
Unlock the Answer: Today’s Riddle is Trickier Than You Think!
What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Paddy Gower seeks ‘bloody great Cantab’
The Kiwi journalist drilling deep into the country’s biggest issues is on a mission to find the local greats.
Paddy Gower is looking for the Good Kiwi in every region to feature in his show, The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour.
To nominate a Good Kiwi, email reporters@press.co.nz with the name and a description of why your nominee should win. You an also share the local issues you think Paddy needs to tackle in the comments below.
It could be the woman whose knitting circle has made 3800 items for victims of domestic violence, the guy running the length of Aotearoa for mental health, or the woman with terminal cancer who spends her time campaigning to raise awareness and save lives.
“Basically I am looking for ... a bloody great Cantab who just gets on and gets things done. The criteria is somebody who has a positive attitude and makes the community a better place," Gower said.
“I will give this person the 'Big Ups' they deserve, and the community can celebrate them with me.”
A Good Kiwi will feature in each of Gower’s live shows in 14 centres through November and December. He will name the Cantabrian Good Kiwi at his Christchurch show on the evening of Friday, November 22, at St Margaret’s College.
The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour is a sort of book tour, sort of stand-up comedy, some journalistic yarns and memoir, and some motivational speaking - with a fair bit of local in each show.
Gower also wants to know about topics of interest in the region.
“I’m ... going to be taking on a big issue facing Canterbury and offering up solutions.”
A stinky suburb, a neighbourhood needing a round-about or a cathedral in disrepair - “I will make your views count”, he said.
“I'm touring the nation to spread positivity, optimism and good vibes.”
*For tickets to the The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour visit paddygower.co.nz