Flood gates shut for second time

ONLY 12 days after the Makino flood gates near Feilding were activated for the first time, they needed to be triggered again to divert excess water away from the town.

Heavy rain and rising river levels necessitated the closing of the two diversion gates in the bed of the Makino Stream for more than four hours on Saturday afternoon to allow the water to spill into the adjacent floodway.

Manawatu Districts’ Emergency Management Officer, Ross Brannigan, said a similar volume of water to that experienced on Monday, September 6, meant the Makino Stream threshold was again put under threat.

“After the gates were shut, the levels dropped pretty quickly,” said Mr Brannigan, “and took away the threat of severe flooding.”

Horizons Regional Council duty teams remained on standby, however, for the rest of the weekend and this week because of heavy rain forecasts for the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges.
Mr Brannigan said he was satisfied with the processes in place for the closing of the gates and the scheme had worked really well.

“A lot has been learnt over the last two weeks and residents can be assured that, if required, the gates will be used. They have done what they were constructed to do.”
Community Services Group Manager, Brent Limmer, said the Manawatu District Council would continue to work with the regional council to refine the appropriate levels on the activation of the gates.

“There continues to be discussion between us to make sure the facility works well and does the best for the community,” he said. “It is in all of our interests to make sure we’ve got a good understanding of when the facility will be used and how, when these events do occur, we can get the job done in the most efficient manner.”
Both Mr Limmer and Mr Brannigan praised the work carried out by contractors involved with the clean-up and the level of support from fire and police.

The second weather episode of September, however, did cause some damage throughout the district.
Roading Team Leader, Jim Mestyanek, said slips were the main source of concern with London’s Ford Road (near Ridge Road), Hoggs Road (south of Rangiwahia) and Main South Road (at the Oroua River Bridge) having to be closed for some days after spoil blocked the carriageways.

He said Haynes Line, near Kimbolton, had also been closed due to the washout of a bridge abutment after water had broken through a retaining wall and undermined the approach to the bridge.

“The soil is totally saturated from previous rainfall and couldn’t take any more water. Not only are the rivers filling, but the banks and slopes are full of water as well,” said Mr Mestyanek.

Kitchener Park, the bush reserve on the outskirts of Feilding, received further damage after its stopbanks were again breached.

Wind gusts also toppled a gum tree in Kowhai Park, near the native bird aviary, and uprooted a South African virgilia tree in East Street, Feilding.