Harihari floods: council to add rain monitoring for South Westland river
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council intends to add automatic rain monitoring equipment on the Wanganui River near Harihari after a series of damaging floods.
The fallout over a flood that swamped two dairy farms 12 days ago, was hot at the council meeting last week.
That was because the council had had a month of dry weather and low river flows to repair a hole in the northern bank protection scheme that was blown out in the previous flood, at Waitangi Weekend.
Councillors were briefed in-committee on a new protection plan for the Wanganui River last week, with a scheme to be presented at the rating district AGM next month.
Meanwhile, during the last flood the council was relying on hydrological data it receives from a site inland from Whataroa, about 35km to the south of Hari Hari, to anticipate and monitor river flows in the Wanganui.
The council currently does not have monitoring equipment on the Wanganui River.
Hydrology and engineering staff travel from Greymouth to watch it in an extreme rain storm - as they do for the Waiho (Waiau) at Franz Josef and other large rivers throughout the West Coast.
Council chief executive Heather Mabin said work for new river monitoring sites was ongoing and it was currently formulating "a wish list" but that would depend on funding.
The overnight heavy spell of rain in the Wanganui River headwaters 12 days ago sent "a half-flood" down the river, widening and doubling a 100m hole in the protection bank on the true right that had opened up in early February.
Wanganui Rating District spokesperson and councillor Andy Campbell, one of two affected farmers on the true right of the Wanganui, reported 90mm of rain the night of the flood.
He told the meeting he believed most of the rain that swelled the river was "backcountry heavy rain".
The rain monitor site further south and inland of Whataroa had about 130mm.
Mabin said she understood a new gauge on the Wanganui might be a Civil Defence initiative but the council was also working on a plan to expand its hydrological monitoring work.
Following the meeting Mabin said the Wanganui was "at the top of the list".
It was part of work council began when it put in for about $200,000 of 'shovel ready' Government money for new Buller River monitoring and associated preliminary work around the flood defences for Westport township.
"It's actually a piece of work we've already started."
She was unsure of the history of monitoring at the Wanganui and the previous decision making around installing equipment there. However, she had asked the relevant council departments to look at potential costs from within the current budgets to broaden the work.
River monitoring data was "a key piece of information" not only for the council but the affected communities.
She noted the Wanganui River was a strong case but she would not be drawn on other potential sites.
At this stage the cost per site was yet to emerge but aside from the equipment, having safe access to particular sites was likely to be a significant factor. This included vehicle or walking track access and the practical logistics of physically getting down to particular monitoring sites, Mabin said.
"Often, what I'm hearing, it's the access ways."
Another significant factor was having the connectivity to relay information back from the sites - a significant challenge with no cellphone coverage to remote sites on the West Coast.
"The cellphone coverage is key unless we can tap into some other system."
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
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Paddy Gower seeks ‘bloody great Cantab’
The Kiwi journalist drilling deep into the country’s biggest issues is on a mission to find the local greats.
Paddy Gower is looking for the Good Kiwi in every region to feature in his show, The F@#$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