Dam tree removed but flood fears remain

Matt Clark stands next to the remains of a large poplar tree which fell during Cyclone Gabrielle and blocked the flow of Mangapapa Stream at the back of his property. District Council contractor Fulton Hogan finally tackled it on Thursday, four months after he raised the issue with the council. Concerns, however, remain about another large poplar precariously standing at an angle due to erosion, and a lack of maintenance of overgrown areas of the stream as rain events increase in the region. The council says it is a matter of prioritising a heavy workload as cyclone recovery work continues. Picture by Liam Clayton

The owner of a Gisborne property located precariously close to a frequently flooded stream is calling on urgent council maintenance as fears mount over the next big rain.

Matt Clark bought his Massey Road house in March 2022. He was told by the previous owner the place had never flooded.

But since moving in, the Mangapapa Stream has washed over a small bridge at the back of his property four times.

A large poplar tree which fell into the creek during Cyclone Gabrielle became a thorn in his side, trapping debris and forming a dam.

After four months of requesting the council remove it, Mr Clark said the organisation’s contractors were finally on site yesterday morning to complete the job.

“We didn’t notice it (fall), but the neighbours definitely heard it,” he said, reflecting on the day of the cyclone. “We came out later that evening and found it lying in the creek. We got hold of the council straight away.”

After the tree fell down, a friend delimbed it of broken branches.

Mr Clark reached out to the council, and received two visits from Fulton Hogan — the organisation’s contractor — but still nothing was done about its removal.

This week he received the good news it would finally be pulled out of the waterway.

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting prior to its Thursday removal, Mr Clark also raised concerns about the erosion of a nearby tree, which remained on a precarious angle leaning towards the neighbour’s house.

He also said he had taken the removal of another council-planted poplar into his own hands at a cost of $1500.  “We were worried it was going to go.”

Mr Clark says the flooding issue was worsened by the council’s lack of maintenance of the stream, with overgrown areas upstream banking water to his section.

“Every time it rains now it comes up and hits our bridge. We’ve had to put this bridge back three times because of the flooding since we’ve lived here.”

Gisborne District Council community lifelines director David Wilson confirmed the tree was removed on Thursday morning.

“There is still a heavy workload following Cyclone Gabrielle and everything has to be prioritised,” he said.