Takaka River Flood Hazard Issues and Options

Comments have closed on the discussion document surrounding the Takaka River Flood hazard and potential responses to reduce the flood hazard risks.

For up-to-date information, please visit the project page.

In 2009 Council obtained detailed contour data for the Takaka area which enabled development of a computer model to better understand the flood hazard and the risk to the community from the Takaka River. The document is provided as part of the initial stage of a community consultation programme.

Download the Takaka River Flood Hazard Issues and Options Paper November 2011

If you would like a high-resolution version of this paper, or have any other questions, please contact Lisa McGlinchey.

Consultation Programme

The results of the modelling were presented at a public open day in Takaka on 18 November at the Takaka Bowling Club.  Discussions were also had on the potential responses available to the community.   Around 80-100 people attended the open day.

Council are now seeking community feedback on several issues:

Local knowledge

We’d like to hear about any comments or concerns you have about the flooding shown by the model results. Is there anything we’ve missed? Are there potential effects we haven’t covered?

Level of risk

Are you comfortable with the current level of risk to the township or rural areas from the Takaka River flood hazard?

Potential Responses

There are several potential responses that could reduce the Takaka River flood hazard risk – do you think Council should investigate any of these further? If so, which ones?

The community feedback received will be summarised by staff and reported to the Council in early 2012.  Following this, Council will determine if any further work should be progressed on any of the potential responses and further community and landowner consultation will be undertaken.  The summary of community feedback and any further work identified will be communicated on Council’s website and in Council media releases.

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Key Dates 

Comments on the document will be accepted up to 4.30 pm Tuesday 31 January 2012.  Note new closure date.

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Potential Responses

There are several potential responses to the flood hazard risk available to the community.

The first identified is the do-nothing or ‘keep things as they are’. The other responses identified seek to reduce or minimise the flood hazard risk in some way. More than one of these responses could be considered together. No specific response is recommended at this stage.

The potential responses identified so far are:

1. Status Quo/Do nothing - meaning continuing as we are currently and not seeking to do anything significant to reduce the flood hazard risk

2. A full study of engineered flood protection options (eg stopbanking)

3. Protection of flood flow paths

4. Land use and building controls in Takaka township above Building Act requirements to further future-proof subdivisions and buildings

5. Closure of residential zones with significant flood risks

6. Change of existing undeveloped residential zone land to other urban or rural zoning

7. Gravel management in the Takaka River to increase channel capacity

8. Legal protection of the existing informal bank and/or its inclusion in the rivers assets management programme

There are positives and negatives to each of these options that need to be investigated fully should the community wish to pursue them as a course of action. Many of the possible actions could have adverse impacts on other areas and important infrastructure, and these aspects need to be understood and accounted for.

These responses are discussed further in the issues and options paper.

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Online Comment Form 

Everyone is welcome to make a comment using the form below or at the public open day. You can also send your comment by email, post or fax. Address comments to:

  • Lisa McGlinchey, Policy Planner, Tasman District Council, Private Bag 4, Richmond 7050
  • Email comments to info@tasman.govt.nz;
  • Fax comments to to (03) 543 9524.

As part of the process of receiving comments you will receive an email copy of this form for your records.

Your Contact Details

If you are commenting on behalf of an organisation, please indicate your position and the organisation.

Your Comments

Enter your comments in the box below. You can also attach a file (such as a Word document, or a PDF).

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