New stop bank complete in Gore
Environment Southland has completed the construction of a new stop bank along Ontario and Toronto Streets in Gore, replacing the existing concrete flood protection wall.
Environment Southland catchment operations manager Randal Beal said the new stop bank is a significant improvement on the old concrete flood wall, as it provides the same level of protection as the other stop banks protecting Gore.
“Ensuring the stop banks protecting Gore are all at the same height has been a priority for us and now all areas of Gore have an even level of protection.”
"The September flooding was a reminder of the importance of maintaining and future-proofing Southland's flood protection networks. Fortunately, there was no damage to the new stop bank, which was still under construction. Despite losing a few days due to wet ground conditions, Linton Contracting was able to complete the project on time, this month."
Most of the fencing removed during the construction works has been reinstated, and the stop bank has been hydroseeded (sprayed with a combination of grass seed, water and mulch).
The new stop bank was constructed using 40,000 tonnes of gravel from the gravel island just downstream of the Mataura Bridge in Mataura. The build-up of gravel in this part of the Mataura River increased following the February 2020 floods its removal will provide more capacity for floodwater in future flooding.
In addition to designing and constructing the new stop bank in southeast Gore, high-risk trees were removed from the stop bank along River and Richmond Streets, in April-May. Stumps from this tree work are scheduled to be removed this summer.
Meanwhile, work to upgrade the stop banks in Wyndham has resumed after pausing over winter as the ground conditions were unsuitable for stop bank construction. In Mataura, work has been underway to strengthen the main riverbanks within the township. Good progress is being made to install rock protection along 710m of the true right bank. These projects are expected to be completed before Christmas.
Environment Southland’s next phase of climate resilience work for Gore, Wyndham and Mataura will be informed by 2D hydraulic modelling. This information will provide us with better information for predicting flood heights and making decisions about the future heights of any new stop banks.
In the Invercargill area, the work on the Waihōpai stop bank upgrade will restart next week for the summer construction period. The construction team will be working between Beatrice Street and Stead Street. The Waihōpai walkway will be closed and a diversion for walkers and cyclists will be in place along Bond Street.
These projects are among seven Resilient River Communities initiatives co-funded by Environment Southland and the Government’s Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.
