Anzac Parade underwater during the June 2015 flood. Photo / Giles Conley
Anzac Parade underwater during the June 2015 flood. Photo / Giles Conley
A swollen Whanganui river following the weekend's heavy rain was another reminder for local authorities and residents to get to work on being prepared for the next big flood, a Horizons councillor says.
The warning comes as the Horizons Regional Council calls on Anzac Parade residents to help it design a flood resilience plan with meetings at the end of this month.
It has been more than six years since devastating floods damaged infrastructure and some 100 homes.
Horizons councillor Nicola Patrick said consultation with Anzac Parade residents was "overdue".
"We've been a bit slow on having this more detailed follow-up conversation. It's been hard to keep all the balls in the air."
She said securing funding for other river management projects such as Te Pūwaha port revitalisation project, including work on the North Mole, had taken priority over resilience planning for Anzac Parade
But seeing the river pushing its banks yesterday was a timely reminder of the need to be prepared.
"We do need to keep pushing on because if long-term solutions do take years and the river's going to be pushing at its banks then it is time we made more progress,'' she said.
Horizons has commissioned Massey University to carry out the meetings with Anzac Parade residents and businesses at the end of this month and the beginning of August.
The council said it hoped to use information from the meetings towards a strategy to reduce flood risk and build community resilience.
"Initial community meetings will include an overview of the flood-risk situation and explain the rationale and approach for developing a Resilience Strategy," Horizons river management operations manager Kyle Russell said.
"Attendees will be asked to share their views and experiences to help build [a] shared understanding about Anzac Parade flood risk and resilience in a changing climate."
Massey University natural hazards planning professors Bruce Glavovic and Dr Martín García Cartagena will lead the meetings with residents.
Eighteen meetings, the venues for which have not yet been decided, will be held between July 31 and August 2.
Patrick said there were some simple flood resilience strategies that were already being thrown around.
"How you allow the bottom part of buildings ... to be able to respond to floodwaters passing through it. One of the things is lifting electrical wiring so it's above likely flood levels. That's a classic, simple resilience strategy."
Having floors with concrete and not carpet would be another easy solution, Patrick said.
She said many residents loved being in that part of the city and believed the risk and price to pay for potential floods was worth it.
Residents and property owners would be contacted directly about registering for the discussions.
"Once these initial orientation and information gathering meetings have been held there will be opportunities for the wider Whanganui community to contribute," Mr Russell said.
In preparation before talking to residents Glavovic and Garcia Cartagena spoke to local authorities including iwi, Red Cross, local and regional councillors as well as the insurance sector.
