Horizons Regional Council campaign promotes flood protection awareness

Floodwaters from the Whanganui River were still ponding along Anzac Pde two days after the stopbanks were breached in the 2015 flood. Photo / Bevan Conley

A year on from Cyclone Gabrielle, Horizons Regional Council is releasing an educational campaign to share more about river management works and infrastructure in the region.

It is almost nine years since the Whanganui River burst its banks in 2015 and 20 years since the devastating Whanganui and Manawatū floods of 2004.

Horizons manages and maintains stopbanks along Kowhai Park and Balgownie Ave in Whanganui. If a flood occurs in this area, Horizons’ emergency response team installs temporary flood barriers to supplement and support the stopbanks.

Operations manager John Foxall said the campaign would help teach people of all ages how vital flood protection was for the region.

“These large floods are etched into the collective memories of many residents throughout our region and the country as a whole,” Foxall said.

“Many of us, myself included, witnessed the devastation of 2004 first-hand and were served a sobering reminder of the power of water last year with Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We wanted to mark these significant dates with something positive and so have created a series of educational videos detailing different types of flood protection infrastructure we manage in the region.

“You’ll learn about how many dams we have in the region, how the Makino and Moutoa floodgates work, why stopbanks are so vital and much more.

The different assets worked together to form Horizons’ river management network, which protected countless homes, businesses, public assets, farms, roads and railway networks from flooding throughout the region, he said.

“We even have a competition running where you’ll need to answer questions about each type of flood protection.

“Be first to answer all of the questions correctly and win a behind-the-scenes tour of the Moutoa Floodgates for four people. The visit will include a walk down to the gates if they’re dry, and the chance to even operate the gates yourself, with instruction from our staff.”

Foxall said river management was something everyone could relate to or learn about in some way.

“As part of the campaign, we’ll also be sharing images from our archives of the history of our flood protection infrastructure. Some of our assets, such as the Moutoa floodgates, have been around for more than 50 years and have got a rich history we think should be shared.

“Rivers are at the heart of our region, flowing through every district and bringing us all together in some capacity. We all contribute to the health and well-being of our rivers and, in turn, they sustain us, so we think it’s important for everyone to be aware of the work we do to strengthen and maintain these vital assets.”

The campaign will run on Horizons’ Facebook and Instagram pages for two weeks starting Monday, February 19.

• More information, including how to enter the competition, will be on Facebook or Instagram @HorizonsRegionalCouncil.

Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.