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Frequently asked questions

Waipaoa Flood Control

Some questions and answers for property owners along the Waipaoa River stopbank upgrades.

Information about the Waipaoa Flood Control

Q&As

The Waipaoa flood control climate change resilience project will:

  • Upgrade the existing flood control scheme to a 100-year design event including for climate change factors out to the year 2090.
  • Improve resilience against flood events.
  • Protect and improve council’s most valuable asset.
  • Continue to protect the 10,000 hectares of fertile floodplain land. This scheme protects and supports the high yield horticultural uses.

Earth fill material is required for the scheme upgrade. This will be sourced from a number of borrow sites located within the section that's being worked on each year. This is typically the flat floodable berm areas located between the stopbank and the river.

There'll be increased earthworks at these sites as borrow material is excavated and moved to the section of the stopbank that's being upgraded.

All borrow sites will be reinstated when construction is completed.

You may notice truck movements and noise from earthworks during construction.

You may also notice increased activity on sections of the scheme not under construction, as investigation and planning for subsequent construction phases is undertaken.

As the upgrades are completed, the stopbank will be re-sown with grass.

The upgrade work will generally be done during summer months when river flows are low and when there's favourable ground conditions.

Because the upgrade will affect parts of the flood control scheme as they're worked on, they'll be managed in limited sections at a time, to manage any potential flood risk.

If contractors require access to your property, we'll contact you.

The area required for access will be clearly shown on a plan and the term of access required clearly set out.

If you have a licence for any areas of the existing scheme which are being upgraded, you'll be contacted.

The timing of construction on any licenced area will be determined well in advance, so that any crop can be harvested and future plans made by the licensee.

There may be a reduction in the licence fee for any loss of use during the works. Once construction is completed, any changes to the licence will be discussed and a new license issued.

Where access is required to part of your property, a clearly defined area of entry will be agreed with you prior to any entry.

Any part of your property damaged by entry will be reinstated as close to its original condition as possible by the contractor on completion of the works.

There's no cost to the property owner or occupier for the work.  Those who wish to take advantage of reinstatement works and upgrade infrastructure such as fences may be able to pay the difference, assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Where the work affects an existing boundary fence, a temporary fence will be provided by the contractor to ensure any stock is kept secure. Once construction is complete, the fence will be fully reinstated by the contractor.

The contractor is required to manage dust and noise during the physical work.

Once construction's completed, the stopbank will be re-sown with grass.

Noise will be limited to earthworks machinery during construction.

Borrow sites for fill material to build the stopbanks will be selected to have the least environmental impact on river ecology, fish passage and spawning.

Cultural and archaeological discovery protocols have also been set up as part of the resource consent process in advance of construction occurring.

Work times will typically be 7am-7pm Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings 7am-1pm.

There will be no work on public holidays.

We will inform landowners who have a water take that crosses the stopbank about the timing of the work. The work will be managed to minimise disruption to the water supply during construction.

An 8km long cycle trail was completed in June 2022 between the Waipaoa River mouth and the Matawhero SH2 Bridge on the eastern side of the Waipaoa River. The resource consent for the cycle trail only covered this specific area. There is currently no approved resource consent for a cycle trail along any other stopbank.

Resource consent for the construction of any additional cycle trails along the Waipaoa stopbanks will be applied for on a case-by-case basis for specific sections as they are required. Council will consult with landowners and stakeholders as these cycle trail options are investigated and considered.