Flurry of stop bank improvements underway across Murihiku

Stop bank improvements across Murihiku Southland are underway this month, as part of the Resilient River Communities project.

Catchment operations manager Randal Beal said improvements are being made to stop banks in Gore, Mataura, Wyndham and Waihōpai Invercargill.

“Stop banks are a critical part of Southland’s flood defences, providing a level of security in the face of potentially devastating flooding effects.”

Improvements to the Waimumu stop bank in Mataura began last month, which includes tree removal, root raking, rebuilding of some sections of stop bank, stop bank realignment and rock armour placement. This is part of the Mataura Flood Protection Upgrade.

In Wyndham, work begins next week on stop banks including, tree removal, root raking, rebuilding some sections of stop bank, stop bank strengthening and extension, a section of new stop bank construction as well as culvert replacements and installations. This is part of the Wyndham Flood Protection Upgrade.

Improvements to the Waihōpai stop banks, which involves stop bank strengthening and a height increase as well as the installation of rip rap rock and rebuilding the cycling track, will begin at the end of this month. This is part of the Invercargill City Stop Bank Upgrade.

Work on the Gore stop banks will commence in April, which includes a section of new stop bank construction, stop bank strengthening, and culvert installations. This is part of the Gore Flood Protection Upgrade.

“Stop banks in urban areas protect homes, businesses and infrastructure, while the rural schemes protect high value production land and property outside the stop banks,” Randal Beal said.

These four upgrades are part of the Resilient River Communities project that are Climate Resilience projects being delivered by Environment Southland.

These projects are co-funded by Environment Southland and central Government, through Kānoa (the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment). They are part of central government’s 2020 budget, which included $210 million for climate resilience and flood protection projects across New Zealand.

Further information on the projects can be found here www.es.govt.nz/climate-resilience-programme

Editor’s note: The tree removal work currently underway on the Waihōpai stop bank between the Preston Street Pump Station and North Road is other scheduled stop bank maintenance, not part of the Climate Resilience project.

For the Resilient River Communities projects, local contractors Linton Contracting Ltd. were awarded the contracts for the Gore and Wyndham sites, Ryal Bush Transport Ltd. for Invercargill. Downer NZ Ltd has been contracted to complete the Waimumu work.