New Zealand: Christchurch Anti-Flood Plan Involves Dredging

The Christchurch City Council has given the green light to a range of short term flood prevention measures in the hardest hit areas of Christchurch and Little River, following the delivery of the Mayoral Taskforce on Flooding report today.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the taskforce approach enabled different parts of Council to come together to work with other agencies and engineers to provide immediate solutions.

“They did not waste any time. While they were out walking the worst affected catchments they were organising maintenance and repair work to be undertaken straight away,” said Dalziel.

The Taskforce solutions include:

– A temporary pumping solution in Flockton;

– The repair of flap gates in the Avon and Heathcote rivers;

– Raising stop-banks on the Heathcote River and the removal of debris;

– Individual property-level protections including house-raising and base water-proofing;

– Relocation solutions for the most at-risk households;

– Targeted dredging of the Avon and Heathcote rivers.

The Council today agreed to establish a small governance group to authorise immediate work as the Taskforce prioritises each area.

[mappress]

Press Release, May 12, 2014