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Engineers and technical experts will be called to flood-hit Kaeo in about two weeks to identify long-term options aimed at reducing the constant risk of flooding in the small Far North town.
Kaeo copped 273mm of rain in 12 hours last Tuesday, adding fresh recovery woes to those almost overcome since the deluge that swept through the area on March 29.
The future of the flood-prone town and others like it was raised last week by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who suggested it might be time to consider whether such centres should be relocated.
Runanga o Whaingaroa, itself flooded out and operating from temporary premises, called a meeting in the town yesterday to look at a range of options for more protection from the flood-prone Kaeo River and mitigation measures to lower future flood levels.
About 25 people representing the runanga, district council, local community, welfare, housing and other agencies attended the meeting.
Runanga chairman Terry Smith said afterwards that some options and issues involved land management practices in the immediate Whangaroa area and their effect on siltation and run-off into streams and rivers.
River management and obstacles to the quick outflow of floodwater needed to be addressed, he said.
The Northland Regional Council had done some work in the Kaeo River but there was a question of how much more could be done.
"There's also some serious thinking ahead for people in households on the flood plain near the river.
"Building them higher, and businesses higher in the town, is very expensive.
"It's not like we've got a silver bullet. Things are going to have to be a bit more comprehensive but we want to keep the momentum [for action] going," Mr Smith said.
Trevor Norton, the Far North District Council flood recovery manager, said recovery and welfare agencies had learned from experience after the March storm - "and we were slicker because of that".
Among suggestions raised at the meeting was whether some buildings, such as the constantly flooding school and businesses, should be moved to higher ground to escape stormwater.
Widening the river and reducing siltation could be expensive but would lessen flood risks, he said.
"There's a range of things on the agenda but we need expert input to identify practical long-term options."
Mr Norton said he would try to get engineers and other experts to meet in two weeks to discuss options.
"Then we'll send them away to report back to us with costed options within three months."
A regionwide approach was also needed for flood mitigation measures to reduce future risks in other places such as Kaitaia and possibly areas of Whangarei and Kaipara, he said.
Meanwhile, heavy rain in parts of Northland on Sunday night and early yesterday flooded some roads and brought down trees and slips in the Whangarei district.
A huge landslip blocked State Highway 1 just south of the Brynderwyn Hills for a time during the morning and there was a major slip on the Whangarei Heads road.
Regional council rainfall figures showed 40.5mm fell on the Brynderwyns between midnight Sunday and yesterday morning.
West of Whangarei, Maungaturoto got 48mm, while Kaeo got 23.5mm and Ohaeawai 22mm before rain cleared from most of the region.
