Pākowhai

Latest update

As reported at the end of January 2024, the Pākowhai flood modelling work is almost complete and is just awaiting the NIWA report of flood levels to finalise (part one of the NIWA report received on 8 March).

The next stage of this project will include some onsite investigations. An archeological assessment has been completed with drone surveying, geotechnical, and geophysical investigations getting underway shortly. Included in this work will be a HyDrone survey of the Tuteakuri-Waimati Stream via boat.

Conversations with potentially affected landowners for proposed stopbank works continue, and with 29 properties potentially impacted, we envisage this could take some time.

Other activities critical in this planning phase include:

• Developing the Project Plan
• Identifying project risks
• Estimating project costs
• Undertaking a Cultural Values assessment
• Design work
• Drafting land easements
• Identifying the location of materials for construction
• Developing consent application.

About the Pākowhai project

The Pākowhai project involves re-establishing a stopbank around 8.5km in length along the left bank of the Tuteakuri Waimate Stream in two sections: north of SH2 from Links Road to the State Highway); and south of SH2 from the State Highway to the secondary overflow stopbank at Hodgson Road.

In some areas where the footprint of the previous stopbank has been encroached, there may be the requirement for some stream realignment works to provide enough footprint to build the stopbank. This will manage flooding from the Tutaekuri Waimate Stream and increase resilience from some overflow from the existing stopbank scheme.

Project timeline

The work can be broken down into phases, as shown in our timeline diagram below.