25 August 2025
Council at their meeting on 21 August, approved the preferred stopbank alignment to strengthen flood protection for Te Karaka, marking a significant milestone in the Te Karaka Flood Resilience Improvement Project.
The decision follows 18 months of detailed technical work, but at its heart has been a strong partnership with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and the Te Karaka community.
Iwi and community representatives have worked alongside Council engineers and technical experts to ensure the final solution combines local knowledge, values and lived experience with robust flood modelling and design.
Council’s Regional Rivers Manager Joss Ruifrok, said Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted the urgent need to improve Te Karaka’s flood protection.
“The decision to approve the retreated stopbank design and to move forward into detailed design and consenting is a significant milestone in this project.
“By partnering with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and engaging with the community, we’ve been able to identify a solution that reflects both engineering best practice and the priorities of the people who live here.”
Council approval of the retreated alignment means shifting some sections of the stopbank closer to the Te Karaka township, defending a smaller area and making more room for the awa.
“This approach strengthens flood protection for Te Karaka and builds resilience, while following best practice for how rivers are managed around the world” says Mr Ruifrok.
Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki lead, Pimia Wehi, who has lived in Te Karaka all of her life, says the partnership has been crucial to ensuring the outcome is community-led.
“Our whānau have carried the impacts of flooding for generations. Partnering with Council has allowed us to ensure iwi values, community voices and technical expertise all come together in this solution. It’s a proud step forward for Te Karaka.”
Throughout the process, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Council held multiple joint community hui, formed a community steering group, and gathered extensive feedback through workshops and online submissions. This feedback directly influenced the shortlist of options and ultimately helped guide and shape the preferred alignment approved yesterday.
The next stage of the project is detailed consent-level design and consenting, alongside continued engagement with affected landowners and the wider community. Council and Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki will continue to work together to ensure the solution delivers resilience while reflecting the needs of the Te Karaka community.
For more information on the project
Preferred stopbank alignment approved by councillors
