$6m Maitai River flood management work scheduled
A $6 million project to improve flood resilience along the Maitai River – including building floodwalls and excavating floodways – is due to be completed over the next two years.
A report to Nelson City Council from Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said immediately affected residents met last Tuesday for a confidential briefing on the project with members of the August 2022 Storm Recovery Taskforce, council staff and engineering consultants from Tonkin and Taylor.
The work – over five sections from Hanby Park to Clouston Terrace – involved raising stop banks and excavating floodways, with designs due to be further progressed this year, it said.
A 2m flood wall was proposed alongside the new pathway adjacent to Clouston Terrace, that would extend to chest height above the road carriageway.
Lowering the bank under the Clouston Bridge was also proposed to create more space under the bridge.
The work would also involve some part-property acquisition but no loss of any homes in the area, the report said.
“This work comes at a cost of $6 million for which we are receiving $3.6 million from the Government through the Regional Infrastructure Fund. The work is scheduled to occur over the next two financial years (2025/26 and 2026/27) and be completed by July 2027.”
The work would increase flood resilience in the area most vulnerable to flooding from the Maitai River – Nile Street East, Clouston Terrace, Cleveland Terrace and Mill Street, the report said.
The August 2022 flood was one of the largest recorded in the area; close to a 1:100 year flood, it said.
Mill Street and Clouston Terrace stopbanks both overtopped, and future extreme floods were expected to be larger.
The existing river channel from Hanby Park to the Clouston Bridge was only capable of with standing a current 1:50-year flood event, and at Clouston Terrace a 1:5-year flood event.
Council had worked with Tonkin and Taylor consultants to develop additional capacity in that section of the river, that would increase this to a 1:100-year flood event, the report said.
Work since the August 2022 weather event was on track and about 60% complete, in fixing infrastructure of damaged pipes and roads, repairing parks and walkways, stabilising landslides, clearing rivers and drains of storm sediment and helping sort more than 200 affected homes, Smith said.
The purpose of Tuesday’s meeting with residents on the next phase was “to enable them to be well informed about the project” and ask questions, he said.
“The meeting went well and there was broad support from residents.
“This is the most significant flood-resilience project undertaken by Council since the Saxton Creek upgrade. It has been brought forward under the LTP due to the substantial financial support secured from Government of 60%, compared with 20% for Saxton.
“A condition of this funding is that the work be completed within three years of Budget 2024 from which it is being funded.
“The programme for design, consenting and construction is challenging but deliverable.”
The project was one of four in the overall $9m Maitai Flood Resilience Project, for which the council was receiving $5.4m from Central Government.
Next steps included continuing engagement with Iwi, preparing consent applications, and progress design.
By Katy Jones, Nelson Mail
This Post Has 0 Comments