Government invests $4 million in Northland flood resilience

Dejay Ellis (back) and Innocent Tuimavave, make the most of the flooding on Kaka St. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Flooding issues in Whangārei’s Morningside are set to ease as part of a $4 million Government package for flood resilience work in Northland.

Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the funding this morning at a meeting with Northland Civil Defence, council and iwi leaders.

It comes in the wake of severe weather in the region last year, including cyclones Hale and Gabrielle early in 2023.

“This funding will help communities in Northland impacted by the 2023 severe weather events, increase resilience and mitigate against future flood risk,” Mitchell said.

The funding is to go towards four projects - 75 per cent of it for a single Whangārei project, and the balance to three other projects in Dargaville and Ruawai.

Whangārei District Council will receive $3 million for flood relief in problematic low-lying and flood-prone parts of Morningside.

The Government will contribute to a drain, water storage and pumping system to significantly reduce future flooding in the area.

Morningside businessman Mike Smith, who owns Downtown Tools on Kaka St, welcomed the Government money but said the issues facing the street urgently needed fixing as it affected businesses.

He said he wanted flooding resilience infrastructure work started – and finished – as soon as possible.

Kaipara District Council (KDC) is to get $1m for two projects to improve flood resilience in Dargaville and another in Ruawai.

“Northland’s Northern Wairoa River catchment, and its various tributaries, contributed to flooding in and around Dargaville.

“The Government is supporting three projects with the Kaipara District Council to reduce future flood risk in these areas,” Mitchell said.

“We need to learn so we can make changes to reduce the impacts of future weather events. These projects are great examples of making changes that build future resilience,” Mitchell said.

The Government’s $350,000 towards cleaning out the mouth of the Awakino River flowing along Dargaville’s eastern outskirts is good news for KDC councillor Ash Nayaar.

A whitebaiter sets his net in the first light of day on the Awakino River.

Nayaar, his wife Mamti, and a guest clung to the side of a fire engine in the dark amid heavy rain during Cyclone Gabrielle.

They were dramatically rescued about 4.30am from quickly rising floodwaters threatening their lives when the Awakino River burst its banks.

“I’m very pleased the Government has put money towards solving the Awakino River situation,” Nayaar said.

However, he said the Government-funded mahi was part of a much bigger block of work needed for the river.

Nayaar said it was now important the work got underway promptly.

The Awakino River money is for mechanical cleaning of the lower river’s banks and river mouth silt removal. This will allow the most efficient flow of water and reduce the likelihood of future flooding.

This funding will have a key role in helping protect key local and regional infrastructure, including the Dargaville wastewater treatment plant and sole main State Highway 14 access route between Dargaville and Whangārei from future flood damage.

The newly announced Government funding also includes $400,000 for a second Dargaville project.

This will help with flood resilience infrastructure so Dargaville’s low-lying Beach Rd will not need to be raised as protection against future flooding. A box culvert will be installed to increase the size of the existing Beach Rd culvert.

The third part of the Government’s KDC funding is $280,000 towards protecting Ruawai. This money is for the Ruawai’s Northern Wairoa River-facing Murphy Bower stopbank between the hamlet and Ruawai College to protect against the giant waterway flooding the rural hamlet.

A KDC capital expenditure report to the council’s December 2022 meeting said the upgrade was urgently needed.

“An upgrade of the existing stopbank (of approximately) 900m is urgently required to provide flood protection to the Ruawai community,” KDC general manager infrastructure services Anin Nana said.

Today’s funding announcement is on top of $8.9 million Government money for Northland in September 2023 in wake of the year’s severe weather.

Most of that, $4.2m, went towards reducing the risk of flooding in Kawakawa, Otiria-Moerewa, Kaeo, Matangirau, Whirinaki, and Punaruku, including marae often flooded or at risk from flooding.

Remaining funds went towards projects including removing fallen and at-risk trees from flood-risk rivers, stormwater upgrades, stabilising work, stop bank repairs and early warning systems.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.