'Regional flood project meetings under way'

 A series of meetings with residents of some of Northland’s most flood-prone communities has begun and is already paying dividends according to local authority river management staff.

The Northland Regional Council (NRC) has identified 27 catchments around Northland as priorities for flood risk planning and has invited people living in them to meet to update existing knowledge about - and help find possible solutions to – flooding issues.

The NRC has scheduled 12 public meetings in a fortnight as part of its ‘Priority Rivers Flood Risk Reduction Project’, with the first held at the Council’s Whangarei headquarters last night. (subs: Mon 29 June)

Bruce Howse, the Council’s Land/Rivers Senior Programme Manager, says about 20 members of the public had turned up to a positive 2.5 hour meeting with Council river management staff, a project consultant and local Regional Councillor Craig Brown which had delivered up some valuable information.

“There was definitely some useful information gleaned, particularly from people within the Otaika catchment. We also made a number of very useful contacts and established who some of the key people are in these flood-prone areas.”

He says the Council will be able to work with those new contacts to gather information that will be critical to assessing future flood risk reduction measures.

The meetings – the next of which will be held at Ruakaka’s Recreation centre at 6pm today (subs: Tues 30 June) – are part of the first round of public consultation on the Flood Risk Reduction Project.

Mr Howse says of the 27 catchments identified as priorities for flood risk planning, all but a few in the Far North District and after today, the bulk of the remaining meetings will be held in the Far North.

“These 27 have been prioritised because of the potential threats the rivers and streams in them pose to lives, buildings, road access, infrastructure and agriculture. We’re proposing to work with affected communities to prioritise and develop tailor-made plans to reduce flood risks over the next several years.”

He says the Regional Council has already carried out a great deal of work on the project over the past six months, including detailed surveys of the land in the catchments which is being used to help develop computer flood models.

“Initially, we’re keen to work with affected communities and stakeholders to build on what we already know about the size of floods and who they affect. We’re also asking communities to tell us about the places and things they’re especially keen to protect in their local area, for instance schools and marae.”

He says the information gathered will enable appropriate flood risk reduction options to be identified, assessed and developed and initial flood risk reduction plans for the affected catchments should be completed by June 2010.

People wanting to know more about the project can visit the Council’s website www.nrc.govt.nz/priorityrivers

A list of the remaining public meetings (and relevant catchments) is below.

Ruakaka; Tuesday 30 June, 6pm, Ruakaka Recreation Centre. (Ruakaka)

Paihia; Wednesday 01 July, 6pm, Paihia Memorial Hall. (Waitangi)

Kawakawa; Thursday 02 July, 6pm, Ngati Hine Health Trust. (Kawakawa)

Helena Bay; Friday 03 July, 4pm, Helena Bay Gallery. (Helena Bay)

Kaikohe; Monday 06 July, 4pm, Mid North Motor Inn. (Waihou, Waima & Punakitere)

Opononi; Tuesday 07 July, 4pm, South Hokianga War Memorial Hall (Awapokonui, Whirinaki & Waimamaku)

Totara North; Wednesday 08 July, 1pm, Totara North Hall (Pupuke, Totara North & Taupo Bay)

Whangaroa; Wednesday 08 July, 6pm, Whangaroa Big Game Fishing Club. (Whangaroa Streams (Te Ngaire, Wainui & Mahinepua), Tauranga River & Matangirau)

Panguru; Friday 10 July, 1pm, Panguru School Gym. (Rotokakahi & Pawarenga Streams and Panguru Rivers (Panguru & Lower Waihou))

Maungaturoto; Monday 13 July, 6pm, Maungaturoto Community Centre. (Wairau (Maungaturoto))

Ngunguru; Tuesday 14 July, 6pm, Ngunguru Memorial Hall. (Ngunguru)