| Currently Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is working with Napier City Council on a plan to transform the Plantation Drain alongside Chambers St into a more naturally flowing waterway. This will now be called the Harakeke Waterway after consultation with local residents. The waterway is the remnant of a wetland area that was once used for gathering flaxes (harakeke). |  |
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s urban stream enhancement project is changing the existing, hard-edged storm water system into a more natural stream through the suburbs, with wetland areas, flowing water and park surrounds.
See the proposed concept design for the Harakeke Waterway, PDF File - 1.55Mb.
News
27 August 2011 - A community planting day will be held at the new Harakeke Waterway on Saturday from 10 am – 2pm – bring a water bottle, sturdy footwear and spades. Any local schools wanting to plant can contact the Regional Council to book in a time before then ph 833 8085.
Urban Stream Enhancement
 | Council considers that the ‘drains’ across the plains and through urban areas have more than just a single value as a system for flood protection, and can be developed to a multi-value system to add value for our communities. |
The urban stream enhancement concept aims to:
- Consider a wider range values – such as culture, heritage, landscape and recreational values – as well as the practical needs of draining rainwater from the flat land in the suburbs.
- Increase the attractiveness of the drain area for the neighbourhood by adding walking paths, open play areas, and appropriate plantings of trees and shrubs.
- Assist with both flood control and water quality by creating wetlands and planting suitable ‘wet feet’ plants to take up some of the nutrients in the water.
- Add to the number of local green corridors in the city and help to attract more bird life into urban areas.
- Help limit rubbish dumping by instilling community pride in people’s ‘local park’
- Reshape the drains by adding meanders, creating a low flow channel and increasing the flow in summer (when water gets low) by adding artesian/ground water.
- Have easy access for Council mowing and maintenance, and for utility providers access to services such as drains, telephone cables etc.
- Re-establish property boundaries so that homeowners don’t feel encroached upon or, conversely, push out onto public land.
Napier City Council has a priority for managing rainwater runoff from the suburbs plus ongoing maintenance, while the Regional Council has a broader flood control, water quality enhancement responsibility.