Solution sought to Morningside flooding

An end to long-standing flooding in the Morningside area may be in sight following a decision by Council to progress with a flood management project this financial year.

​The catchment currently drains through a single piped stormwater network which drains into the Waiarohia stream and has insufficient capacity for larger rain events.

If an application for access over Kiwirail land is successful an open drain (swale) will run from the end of Rawhiti Street into culverts under the railway lines and from there into a drain that will run parallel to Okara Drive down to Limeburners Creek.

Whangarei District Council has allocated $2 million to the project in the first year of the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan, and is seeking additional funding from Northland Regional Council through the Urban Whangarei Rivers Liaison Committee.

A wide range of options have been examined for solving flooding that has caused problems for the Pipe Band Hall, and residential and commercial properties on Rawhiti Street, Kaka Street and Porowini Avenue.

Initial modelling has indicated that flood levels may be reduced by up to 0.5m for larger events.
Options considered in a different route for the drainage system, included raising buildings and installing stormwater pumps.

All of these options proved more complicated and expensive to undertake and operate over the long term, without offering any additional benefits.

WDC has given staff the go ahead to work with Kiwirail to obtain access (Deed of Grant) to the railway land, seek extra funding, obtain resource consents needed for the project, and (if that goes ahead) to call for tenders for the work.

Once tenders have been called and assessed they will be brought back to Council for final sign off.