Wyndham flood protection upgrade
The Wyndham flood protection upgrade, completed in May 2024, has enhanced the resilience of flood defences for the township and its 550+ residents. The project focused on creating a more robust and continuous flood defence scheme by targeting areas with the highest flood risk to the community in the near term.
In February 2020, extensive flooding across Murihiku Southland brought the Wyndham stop banks to near capacity, leading to widespread evacuations of over 4,500 people throughout the Mataura catchment, including Wyndham residents. Originally built in the early 1970s following severe flooding in 1968 and raised again after the 1978 floods, the stop banks protect Wyndham from the Mataura River and its tributary, the Mimihau Stream.
Key upgrades completed
The upgrades involved widening and extending the stop bank east of Wyndham Road, strengthening sections near the Wyndham Racecourse with widened banks and buttresses, addressing low points and stability issues by removing trees and reconstructing the stop bank and constructing a new 90-meter section at Ferry Street to close a gap in the network. Additional work included inspecting, repairing, and extending culverts, headwalls, flapgates and related flood protection infrastructure.
Why these upgrades matter
The enhancements to Wyndham’s stop banks are critical for ensuring robust flood protection and adapting to changing climate conditions. Addressing low points, seepage issues, and potential stability concerns strengthens the community’s defences and helps protect homes, properties and infrastructure.
Benefits
- Increased protection for properties, homes, and businesses in Wyndham by enhancing the existing flood protection scheme.
- Filled gaps in the stop bank network to provide continuous flood defence.
- Improved adaptability to future climate impacts and enhanced planning for future asset upgrades.
- Central government funding facilitated this work, bringing forward Long-term Plan projects at a lower cost to ratepayers.
Looking ahead
The next phase involves the application of 2D hydraulic modelling for the Mataura River, including Wyndham, to better understand the capacity and integrity of existing flood protection infrastructure. Continued community engagement will help guide future climate resilience measures.
Funding and collaboration
The Wyndham flood protection upgrade is a national Resilient River Communities initiative and represents the most significant upgrade in decades. The project was a collaboration between Environment Southland and Kānoa – the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, with support from the Southland District Council, Waihōpai Toetoe Community Board, and Waihōpai and Hokonui Rūnanga. It is one of six Resilient River Communities projects Environment Southland undertook with co-funding from central government via the Covid-19 Recovery and Response Fund in the period 2021-2024.
By building resilient river communities, we aim to reduce the environmental, economic, and social impacts of flooding, creating a safer Aotearoa New Zealand for everyone.
