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We are working hard to support our community and restore vital infrastructure. Find out about the events and the response here.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council is the lead environmental agency for Hawke’s Bay. We have a vital role in the response, and eventually the recovery, from Cyclone Gabrielle. We are working closely with Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, other councils and key agencies to respond to and understand this unprecedented event.
The region’s flood infrastructure experienced major damage across the region due to Cyclone Gabrielle.
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Hawke’s Bay Mayors and Chair have activated the Regional Disaster Relief Trust, making it easy for people from anywhere in New Zealand to donate to the region’s Cyclone Gabrielle recovery effort. Donations can be made online here . Text donations can also be made by texting DONATE to 5569.
Information on the Fund eligibility is available here.
Farmers and orchardists can also apply for help through MPI here.
The aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has resulted in large volumes of waste. If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we will be able to help you remove the larger volumes.
Different waste types need to be dealt with in different ways. Please try to keep these waste types separate so that we can minimize the amounts of mixed-waste that end up in our already overloaded waste sites.
The types of waste covered in this advisory are:
Advice on disposing of hazardous materials/ contaminated silt, and chemical waste can be found here.
Residential: Many areas have been inundated with silt from the flood waters and there are concerns regarding the level of contamination of the silt. Please check the EQC factsheet here about removal of silt.
Farmers/Lifestylers/Orchardists: If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, HBRC will be able to help you remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to remove the silt and move it to a location on their own property with suitable access for trucks. Contact us on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 as we will coordinate with a contractor for the removal of the silt.
Wood waste has washed up on beaches, river sides, roadsides, public areas and private properties after the cyclone. We will remove debris from public places to chip it, starting with the immediate area around the Heretaunga Plains and then progressing further afield. We strongly recommend against burning this waste as it will be contaminated and burning the waste risks spreading any contamination.
If you have wood waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, the Regional Council will be able to help remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to move the wood waste to a location on their property with suitable access for trucks. The landowners can then contact us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate with a contractor for its removal.
The cyclone has caused many vineyard, and orchard posts and wire to be ripped out of the ground, and these are now scattered across properties, neighbouring land and roadsides.
IMPORTANT! Tanilised posts and wire that make up this waste cannot be disposed of through burning; burning of this waste will release toxic chemicals into the wider environment.
Where landowners have large quantities of posts and wires from fences, viticulture and horticulture operations, these can be collected by HBRC and held in a secure site for further work. HBRC will arrange collection and suitable remedial work to separate wire, for wire recycling and return of usable posts to farmers. Landowners can contact the regional council on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 to coordinate the removal of posts & wire fences.
If already on a farm, farmers may be able to bury their own dead stock as per normal conditions. Large scale events should be reported to HBRC so that in these instances the dead stock can be removed from the property, particularly if located over an unconfined aquifer or within a source protection zone. If disposing of stock on a property, please consider the following before burying: Proximity to waterways, noting burials should be at least 50 m from a waterway or critical source area, and the usual pest/ vermin control.
If deceased stock are not on a farm, or there are too many on the property for the landowner to deal with, please phone us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate collection and appropriate disposal.
Disposal of flood damaged household goods is through local Councils – people can check their local council website or phone them for latest advice.
Here are links to their websites:
If you have silt waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we can help remove larger volumes.
You can phone us 0800 108 838 to advise your address for pick up. Property owners need to arrange to have the silt on their properties and from under their homes piled onto the verge outside their home (not in the gutter), or in front garden if the verge is not large enough. It will be picked up and disposed of by contractors, with the pile pick-up and disposal council-funded. All sites are only able to be accessed by contractors.
Landowners with large areas of ponding can contact us for advice and assistance, 06 835 9200 | 0800 108 838.
Napier Port sustained only minor damage during Cyclone Gabrielle and was able to partially open two days later on Thursday, 16 February using generators to power the port. Once mains power was restored Napier Port returned to full operations on Tuesday, 21 February.
Working in partnership with Napier City Council and HB Tourism, Napier Port was able to receive its first cruise ship since the cyclone on Friday 10 March.
Napier Port is also hosting the New Zealand Defence Force during the response to Cyclone Gabrielle. An army base has been established on port and we have berthed navy frigates, HMNS Canterbury, Te Mana and Manawanui bringing in critical supplies to the region.
Farmers and growers are working together in localised hubs, and getting council and agency assistance, so these can be the best contact for a range of help in the first instance. The Regional Council can be contacted on 0800 108 838, or 06 835 9200.
Check out out our farmers and growers cyclone help page here
MPI also have a Cyclone Gabrielle assistance page for farmers here.
If you are on a private bore, you are advised to boil water before drinking until further notice, and test the water regularly.
Disposal of dead stock or contaminated material should be 50 metres away from waterways, and not near aquifers and bore structures.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
We understand that there will be an urgent need to carry out some works directly related to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. This might include, for example, repair or replacement of damaged culverts or other access structures. We have created a simplified application to use in these circumstances.
Go to this page for information about applying for an urgent consent
The aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has resulted in large volumes of waste. If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we will be able to help you remove the larger volumes.
Different waste types need to be dealt with in different ways. Please try to keep these waste types separate so that we can minimize the amounts of mixed-waste that end up in our already overloaded waste sites.
The types of waste covered in this advisory are:
Advice on disposing of hazardous materials/ contaminated silt, and chemical waste can be found here.
Residential: Many areas have been inundated with silt from the flood waters and there are concerns regarding the level of contamination of the silt. Please check the EQC factsheet here about removal of silt.
Farmers/Lifestylers/Orchardists: If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, HBRC will be able to help you remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to remove the silt and move it to a location on their own property with suitable access for trucks. Contact us on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 as we will coordinate with a contractor for the removal of the silt.
Wood waste has washed up on beaches, river sides, roadsides, public areas and private properties after the cyclone. We will remove debris from public places to chip it, starting with the immediate area around the Heretaunga Plains and then progressing further afield. We strongly recommend against burning this waste as it will be contaminated and burning the waste risks spreading any contamination.
If you have wood waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, the Regional Council will be able to help remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to move the wood waste to a location on their property with suitable access for trucks. The landowners can then contact us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate with a contractor for its removal.
The cyclone has caused many vineyard, and orchard posts and wire to be ripped out of the ground, and these are now scattered across properties, neighbouring land and roadsides.
IMPORTANT! Tanilised posts and wire that make up this waste cannot be disposed of through burning; burning of this waste will release toxic chemicals into the wider environment.
Where landowners have large quantities of posts and wires from fences, viticulture and horticulture operations, these can be collected by HBRC and held in a secure site for further work. HBRC will arrange collection and suitable remedial work to separate wire, for wire recycling and return of usable posts to farmers. Landowners can contact the regional council on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 to coordinate the removal of posts & wire fences.
If already on a farm, farmers may be able to bury their own dead stock as per normal conditions. Large scale events should be reported to HBRC so that in these instances the dead stock can be removed from the property, particularly if located over an unconfined aquifer or within a source protection zone. If disposing of stock on a property, please consider the following before burying: Proximity to waterways, noting burials should be at least 50 m from a waterway or critical source area, and the usual pest/ vermin control.
If deceased stock are not on a farm, or there are too many on the property for the landowner to deal with, please phone us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate collection and appropriate disposal.
Disposal of flood damaged household goods is through local Councils – people can check their local council website or phone them for latest advice.
Here are links to their websites:
If you have silt waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we can help remove larger volumes.
You can phone us 0800 108 838 to advise your address for pick up. Property owners need to arrange to have the silt on their properties and from under their homes piled onto the verge outside their home (not in the gutter), or in front garden if the verge is not large enough. It will be picked up and disposed of by contractors, with the pile pick-up and disposal council-funded. All sites are only able to be accessed by contractors.
Landowners with large areas of ponding can contact us for advice and assistance, 06 835 9200 | 0800 108 838.
Napier Port sustained only minor damage during Cyclone Gabrielle and was able to partially open two days later on Thursday, 16 February using generators to power the port. Once mains power was restored Napier Port returned to full operations on Tuesday, 21 February.
Working in partnership with Napier City Council and HB Tourism, Napier Port was able to receive its first cruise ship since the cyclone on Friday 10 March.
Napier Port is also hosting the New Zealand Defence Force during the response to Cyclone Gabrielle. An army base has been established on port and we have berthed navy frigates, HMNS Canterbury, Te Mana and Manawanui bringing in critical supplies to the region.
Farmers and growers are working together in localised hubs, and getting council and agency assistance, so these can be the best contact for a range of help in the first instance. The Regional Council can be contacted on 0800 108 838, or 06 835 9200.
Check out out our farmers and growers cyclone help page here
MPI also have a Cyclone Gabrielle assistance page for farmers here.
If you are on a private bore, you are advised to boil water before drinking until further notice, and test the water regularly.
Disposal of dead stock or contaminated material should be 50 metres away from waterways, and not near aquifers and bore structures.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
We understand that there will be an urgent need to carry out some works directly related to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. This might include, for example, repair or replacement of damaged culverts or other access structures. We have created a simplified application to use in these circumstances.
Go to this page for information about applying for an urgent consent
The aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has resulted in large volumes of waste. If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we will be able to help you remove the larger volumes.
Different waste types need to be dealt with in different ways. Please try to keep these waste types separate so that we can minimize the amounts of mixed-waste that end up in our already overloaded waste sites.
The types of waste covered in this advisory are:
Advice on disposing of hazardous materials/ contaminated silt, and chemical waste can be found here.
Residential: Many areas have been inundated with silt from the flood waters and there are concerns regarding the level of contamination of the silt. Please check the EQC factsheet here about removal of silt.
Farmers/Lifestylers/Orchardists: If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, HBRC will be able to help you remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to remove the silt and move it to a location on their own property with suitable access for trucks. Contact us on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 as we will coordinate with a contractor for the removal of the silt.
Wood waste has washed up on beaches, river sides, roadsides, public areas and private properties after the cyclone. We will remove debris from public places to chip it, starting with the immediate area around the Heretaunga Plains and then progressing further afield. We strongly recommend against burning this waste as it will be contaminated and burning the waste risks spreading any contamination.
If you have wood waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, the Regional Council will be able to help remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to move the wood waste to a location on their property with suitable access for trucks. The landowners can then contact us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate with a contractor for its removal.
The cyclone has caused many vineyard, and orchard posts and wire to be ripped out of the ground, and these are now scattered across properties, neighbouring land and roadsides.
IMPORTANT! Tanilised posts and wire that make up this waste cannot be disposed of through burning; burning of this waste will release toxic chemicals into the wider environment.
Where landowners have large quantities of posts and wires from fences, viticulture and horticulture operations, these can be collected by HBRC and held in a secure site for further work. HBRC will arrange collection and suitable remedial work to separate wire, for wire recycling and return of usable posts to farmers. Landowners can contact the regional council on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 to coordinate the removal of posts & wire fences.
If already on a farm, farmers may be able to bury their own dead stock as per normal conditions. Large scale events should be reported to HBRC so that in these instances the dead stock can be removed from the property, particularly if located over an unconfined aquifer or within a source protection zone. If disposing of stock on a property, please consider the following before burying: Proximity to waterways, noting burials should be at least 50 m from a waterway or critical source area, and the usual pest/ vermin control.
If deceased stock are not on a farm, or there are too many on the property for the landowner to deal with, please phone us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate collection and appropriate disposal.
Disposal of flood damaged household goods is through local Councils – people can check their local council website or phone them for latest advice.
Here are links to their websites:
Landowners with large areas of ponding can contact us for advice and assistance, 06 835 9200 | 0800 108 838.
Napier Port sustained only minor damage during Cyclone Gabrielle and was able to partially open two days later on Thursday, 16 February using generators to power the port. Once mains power was restored Napier Port returned to full operations on Tuesday, 21 February.
Working in partnership with Napier City Council and HB Tourism, Napier Port was able to receive its first cruise ship since the cyclone on Friday 10 March.
Napier Port is also hosting the New Zealand Defence Force during the response to Cyclone Gabrielle. An army base has been established on port and we have berthed navy frigates, HMNS Canterbury, Te Mana and Manawanui bringing in critical supplies to the region.
Farmers and growers are working together in localised hubs, and getting council and agency assistance, so these can be the best contact for a range of help in the first instance. The Regional Council can be contacted on 0800 108 838, or 06 835 9200.
Check out out our farmers and growers cyclone help page here
MPI also have a Cyclone Gabrielle assistance page for farmers here.
If you are on a private bore, you are advised to boil water before drinking until further notice, and test the water regularly.
Disposal of dead stock or contaminated material should be 50 metres away from waterways, and not near aquifers and bore structures.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
We understand that there will be an urgent need to carry out some works directly related to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. This might include, for example, repair or replacement of damaged culverts or other access structures. We have created a simplified application to use in these circumstances.
Go to this page for information about applying for an urgent consent
There was major damage to the region’s flood infrastructure on 13/14 March which will take time to fully repair. Rapid damage assessments have been completed and breaches have been mapped. Stopbanks were damaged in several places on the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī and on the Tukituki at Waipawa. Some pumping stations on streams and drains were flooded and stopped operating.
To date, staff have put temporary protection in place around stopbank breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have now reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
How were the stopbanks affected?
Of our 248 km of stopbank network roughly 6km breached and further parts of the network were damaged by erosion in this unprecedented flooding event. There was a total of 30 breaches our network. Please note: the stopbanks did not burst. Stopbanks were overtopped and through-erosion occurs when such an enormous volume of water is moving at speed, so a number of breaches developed where the stopbank was washed away. In some locations, structures like bridges and the built-up material againsst and on the bridges has led to overtopping. In some places wood debris needs to be removed before repairs can be made.
We have Rapid Repair teams working on all breaches. The immediate focus has been on putting temporary protection in place around breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
What is the cost to repair stopbanks and who pays?
The costs are still being calculated but is estimated to be in the $10’s of millions. It is covered through commercial insurance and NEMA insurance but there will likely be a shortfall for which decisions of council will be required.
The breaches to stopbanks in several places was caused by a much larger amount of rainfall coming through the region’s rivers than the protection system was designed to cope with.
HBRC was already planning for future flood level protection, and had started to lift flood protection on the Heretaunga Plains scheme from 1 in 100 year flood levels to 1 in 500 year levels. The Taradale stopbank upgrade completed late last year was instrumental in protecting much of Napier from catastrophic flooding, so we know these upgrades are vital.
The regional council had secured $19.2 million through Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit (Kānoa - RDU) for the Resilient River Communities (RRC) Programme, to protect and mitigate the effects of climate change, which will support four projects across the region. The funding came from the Government's COVID-19 Recovery and Response Fund to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Strengthening work around a SH50 bridge over the Waipawa River was funded through this provision and held up during these floods.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
We understand that there will be an urgent need to carry out some works directly related to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. This might include, for example, repair or replacement of damaged culverts or other access structures. We have created a simplified application to use in these circumstances.
Go to this page for information about applying for an urgent consent
There was major damage to the region’s flood infrastructure on 13/14 March which will take time to fully repair. Rapid damage assessments have been completed and breaches have been mapped. Stopbanks were damaged in several places on the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī and on the Tukituki at Waipawa. Some pumping stations on streams and drains were flooded and stopped operating.
To date, staff have put temporary protection in place around stopbank breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have now reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
How were the stopbanks affected?
Of our 248 km of stopbank network roughly 6km breached and further parts of the network were damaged by erosion in this unprecedented flooding event. There was a total of 30 breaches our network. Please note: the stopbanks did not burst. Stopbanks were overtopped and through-erosion occurs when such an enormous volume of water is moving at speed, so a number of breaches developed where the stopbank was washed away. In some locations, structures like bridges and the built-up material againsst and on the bridges has led to overtopping. In some places wood debris needs to be removed before repairs can be made.
We have Rapid Repair teams working on all breaches. The immediate focus has been on putting temporary protection in place around breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
What is the cost to repair stopbanks and who pays?
The costs are still being calculated but is estimated to be in the $10’s of millions. It is covered through commercial insurance and NEMA insurance but there will likely be a shortfall for which decisions of council will be required.
The breaches to stopbanks in several places was caused by a much larger amount of rainfall coming through the region’s rivers than the protection system was designed to cope with.
HBRC was already planning for future flood level protection, and had started to lift flood protection on the Heretaunga Plains scheme from 1 in 100 year flood levels to 1 in 500 year levels. The Taradale stopbank upgrade completed late last year was instrumental in protecting much of Napier from catastrophic flooding, so we know these upgrades are vital.
The regional council had secured $19.2 million through Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit (Kānoa - RDU) for the Resilient River Communities (RRC) Programme, to protect and mitigate the effects of climate change, which will support four projects across the region. The funding came from the Government's COVID-19 Recovery and Response Fund to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Strengthening work around a SH50 bridge over the Waipawa River was funded through this provision and held up during these floods.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
Repairs have been completed on three stopbanks on the Heretaunga flood protection scheme - the Maraenui Golf Course, Allen Road and Taradale. Eleven other priority stopbank rebuild sites are well underway, and two of these should be completed soon.
Permanent repairs to the 21 repair sites will take some months. Meanwhile temporary protection has been put in place for most stopbanks on the Ngaruroro and the Tūtaekurī. This can include bunding in the form of gravel banks and waterproof plastic wrapping.
We are also working on stopbanks in Waipawa for the Upper Tukituki flood protection scheme.
Please stay safe and do not enter any stopbank repair sites closed for Rapid Rebuild where heavy machinery is operating.
Yes, we are planning on undertaking a flood scheme review to understand how it can be improved to respond to overdesign events, and this will be peer reviewed.
It is important to note that the stopbanks did not burst. In some locations, the enormous volume of water overtopped the stopbanks, leading to erosion, which caused a breach.
We are currently looking at who can undertake this work, and it is our intention to begin as soon as practicable.
The aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has resulted in large volumes of waste. If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we will be able to help you remove the larger volumes.
Different waste types need to be dealt with in different ways. Please try to keep these waste types separate so that we can minimize the amounts of mixed-waste that end up in our already overloaded waste sites.
The types of waste covered in this advisory are:
Advice on disposing of hazardous materials/ contaminated silt, and chemical waste can be found here.
Residential: Many areas have been inundated with silt from the flood waters and there are concerns regarding the level of contamination of the silt. Please check the EQC factsheet here about removal of silt.
Farmers/Lifestylers/Orchardists: If you have waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, HBRC will be able to help you remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to remove the silt and move it to a location on their own property with suitable access for trucks. Contact us on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 as we will coordinate with a contractor for the removal of the silt.
Wood waste has washed up on beaches, river sides, roadsides, public areas and private properties after the cyclone. We will remove debris from public places to chip it, starting with the immediate area around the Heretaunga Plains and then progressing further afield. We strongly recommend against burning this waste as it will be contaminated and burning the waste risks spreading any contamination.
If you have wood waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, the Regional Council will be able to help remove larger volumes. Landowners are asked to move the wood waste to a location on their property with suitable access for trucks. The landowners can then contact us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate with a contractor for its removal.
The cyclone has caused many vineyard, and orchard posts and wire to be ripped out of the ground, and these are now scattered across properties, neighbouring land and roadsides.
IMPORTANT! Tanilised posts and wire that make up this waste cannot be disposed of through burning; burning of this waste will release toxic chemicals into the wider environment.
Where landowners have large quantities of posts and wires from fences, viticulture and horticulture operations, these can be collected by HBRC and held in a secure site for further work. HBRC will arrange collection and suitable remedial work to separate wire, for wire recycling and return of usable posts to farmers. Landowners can contact the regional council on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838 to coordinate the removal of posts & wire fences.
If already on a farm, farmers may be able to bury their own dead stock as per normal conditions. Large scale events should be reported to HBRC so that in these instances the dead stock can be removed from the property, particularly if located over an unconfined aquifer or within a source protection zone. If disposing of stock on a property, please consider the following before burying: Proximity to waterways, noting burials should be at least 50 m from a waterway or critical source area, and the usual pest/ vermin control.
If deceased stock are not on a farm, or there are too many on the property for the landowner to deal with, please phone us on 0800 108 838 or 06 835 9200 as we will coordinate collection and appropriate disposal.
Disposal of flood damaged household goods is through local Councils – people can check their local council website or phone them for latest advice.
Here are links to their websites:
If you have silt waste on a lifestyle block, farm or orchard, we can help remove larger volumes.
You can phone us 0800 108 838 to advise your address for pick up. Property owners need to arrange to have the silt on their properties and from under their homes piled onto the verge outside their home (not in the gutter), or in front garden if the verge is not large enough. It will be picked up and disposed of by contractors, with the pile pick-up and disposal council-funded. All sites are only able to be accessed by contractors.
If you have any hazardous materials on your property please contact us for advice about safe removal. Call 06 835 9200.
Who is doing the silt testing, what’s being tested for and at what sites?
We contracted an expert to test silt samples from across the Heretaunga Plains, from Esk to Twyford and surrounds. Testing was carried out to characterise the material in the silt, and for possible chemical contaminants.
We want to make sure we are not mixing ‘clean silt’ with potentially contaminated silt. The likely contaminants are horticultural chemicals, animal waste, and localised oil/ diesel contamination from vehicles caught up in the flooding.
Do you have any results back or when are they due?
The initial feedback from our external consultant is that in the areas excluding Awatoto, there is nothing significantly contaminated. People should continue to take precaution and wear suitable PPE, but we can safely take the silt from farms and orchards and store it.
We are still waiting for a formal report from the consultant.
How are the results going to be used?
These results will be used by the Regional Council to support the safe removal and storage of silt in appropriate sites.
Please note: We are co-ordinating the pick up and deposit of sites from farms and orchards only.
Hawke’s Bay Mayors and Chair have activated the Regional Disaster Relief Trust, making it easy for people from anywhere in New Zealand to donate to the region’s Cyclone Gabrielle recovery effort. Donations can be made online here . Text donations can also be made by texting DONATE to 5569.
Information on the Fund eligibility is available here.
Farmers and orchardists can also apply for help through MPI here.
Please complete the Cyclone Gabrielle rural reporting form and tell us of any damage you know of in your area. Please pinpoint the location as best you can and upload any photos you may have.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council is providing information to the public and our customers through this website, to media and to agencies involved in the recovery.
We are the lead environmental agency for Hawke’s Bay with a vital role in the response to and recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle on 13/14 March. We are working closely with Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, other councils and key agencies to respond to and understand this unprecedented event.
We are updating information on the website and in these FAQs regularly, especially for people in rural areas. Similarly, your local council will have information relating to residential areas.
Please refer to the relevant agencies for information:
In the aftermath of the flooding and damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, our council staff, contractors and emergency services are currently busy working on recovery in and around our Regional Parks, river access points, and cycle trails. River silt and dust may be contaminated. Your cooperation with and support for this work is appreciated.
Parks
All our Regional Parks are closed until further notice - Pākōwhai, Pekapeka, Tūtira, and Waitangi. Please check for updates on our Facebook page.
Work is being done to clear silt and tree damage, manage any contaminated material and check structures like bridges and fences. Some repairs will be necessary to boardwalks and other structures to ensure the parks can be used safely. Arborists are checking the stability of trees and clearing high risk trees. The parks will remain closed for some time.
River reserves
These are closed to the public while emergency recovery work is done around our rivers. We will update the public as these re-open.
Trails
Some of the river corridors where our trails normally go are damaged by flooding. 30% of the trails are not rideable until further notice. But if you are using sections that are open and accessible, please take care as these may be wet or have minor deamage. If it doesn’t look safe, please go back or safely go around. Keep up to date with information on facebook.com/hawkesbaytrails
Open trail sections are:
There was major damage to the region’s flood infrastructure on 13/14 March which will take time to fully repair. Rapid damage assessments have been completed and breaches have been mapped. Stopbanks were damaged in several places on the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī and on the Tukituki at Waipawa. Some pumping stations on streams and drains were flooded and stopped operating.
To date, staff have put temporary protection in place around stopbank breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have now reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
How were the stopbanks affected?
Of our 248 km of stopbank network roughly 6km breached and further parts of the network were damaged by erosion in this unprecedented flooding event. There was a total of 30 breaches our network. Please note: the stopbanks did not burst. Stopbanks were overtopped and through-erosion occurs when such an enormous volume of water is moving at speed, so a number of breaches developed where the stopbank was washed away. In some locations, structures like bridges and the built-up material againsst and on the bridges has led to overtopping. In some places wood debris needs to be removed before repairs can be made.
We have Rapid Repair teams working on all breaches. The immediate focus has been on putting temporary protection in place around breaches which includes bunding (gravel banks) and waterproof plastic wrap. Staff have reinstated 99% of the region’s flood warning system, and have reinstalled water level gauges in the Wairoa district. Staff are also repairing pump stations which have been supplemented with 40 portable diesel pumps.
What is the cost to repair stopbanks and who pays?
The costs are still being calculated but is estimated to be in the $10’s of millions. It is covered through commercial insurance and NEMA insurance but there will likely be a shortfall for which decisions of council will be required.
Yes, we are planning on undertaking a flood scheme review to understand how it can be improved to respond to overdesign events, and this will be peer reviewed.
It is important to note that the stopbanks did not burst. In some locations, the enormous volume of water overtopped the stopbanks, leading to erosion, which caused a breach.
We are currently looking at who can undertake this work, and it is our intention to begin as soon as practicable.
This is how we describe the probability of flooding. It means that the likelihood of this level of flooding occurring in any given year is 1 %.
A “1-in-500-year flood return period” means that the likelihood of this level of flooding occurring in any given year is 0.2 %.
The occurrence of a rare flood does not reduce the chances of another rare flood within a short time period. The probability of occurrence is the same every year. 100-year floods can happen 2 years in a row.
This video from Horizons Regional Council is a good explainer.
Following Cyclone Gabrielle, all swim spots in Hawke's Bay have a high or very high risk of contamination following Cyclone Gabrielle. There is also a high risk of debris, such as logs, in the water. DO NOT SWIM.
The HBRC recreational water quality programme is currently on hold as all sites are considered unsuitable for swimming, and access to many locations has been impacted.
Cyclone Gabrielle has resulted in silt coming down our rivers and streams and deposited in huge amounts in areas such as the Esk Valley, and minor amounts in areas such as lower Waipawa.
Flood silt deposits typically come from sediment and soil that have been eroded by floodwaters. When water levels rise, they can become powerful enough to move and carry sediment from riverbanks, hillsides, and other areas. As the water slows down and recedes, the sediment settles and accumulates, leaving behind a layer of silt. This process can result in the formation of floodplains and delta regions. Silt deposits can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment and can affect agriculture, land use, and wildlife habitats.
The amount of silt is influenced by several factors. One of the main factors is the intensity and duration of the flood. The longer the flood lasts and the more water there is, as in Cyclone Gabrielle, the more silt and other sediment will be carried and deposited by the water.
Other factors that can affect the amount of silt deposited include the slope and shape of the land, the type of soils, the amount of vegetation cover, and the nature of the drainage network. For example, areas with steeper slopes or where the water flow is concentrated in narrow channels are likely to experience more erosion and deposit more sediment.
In some cases, human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and development can also increase the amount of sediment deposited in a flood-prone area. When natural vegetation cover is removed, the soil becomes more vulnerable to erosion and more sediment is carried away by the floodwaters.
Floodwaters also pick up sediment of a range of sizes, with silt obviously being easier to carry further than coarser / larger sediment such as sand and rocks. The silt that accumulates at the bottom of a valley can be the accumulation of silt from the top of the ranges/catchment, whereas sand and stones etc. would have already been deposited along the way.
The whole of the Hawke’s Bay region was impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and region-wide emergency response operation is in action. Regional Council has assessed that this was the largest rainfall event at a number of sites ever recorded in the region. There has been tragic loss of life. Many people have lost homes, businesses and stock. Many rural communities have been isolated as bridges were damaged or unpassable, slips blocked roads and floodwaters damaged infrastructure, including water supplies and sewage. Power and communications were also down and still aren’t connected in some areas. The region’s flood infrastructure experienced major damage and stopbank breaches, and communication with 113 rain and river level monitoring sites was lost on Monday night during the storm.
We manage two major flood control schemes on the Heretaunga Plains and in the Upper Tukituki River. Ratepayers in these areas pay rates to fund the maintenance work which includes maintaining and even strengthening stopbanks, planting trees as live edge protection to reduce erosion from flood water
The Heretaunga Plains scheme provides stopbank protection, dams, floodgates and drainage benefits on the low-lying river plains of the Tūtaekurī, Ngaruroro and lower Tukituki rivers and for around 120,000 people. This includes sub-catchments such as the Karamu.
The Upper Tukituki scheme protects the inland river plains and around 5,000 from flooding from the Tukituki, Waipawa, Makaretu, Mangaonuku and Tukipo rivers.
More information is here - Major Schemes | Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Yes, we did undertake probable maximum flood analysis and this was ahead of our decision to upgrade the stopbanks from a 1-in-100 year level to a 1-in-500 year level.
We also analysed possible breaches to understand the impact on the community, which is how we prioritised upgrades on stopbanks at Taradale, Moteo and Ngatarawa. Before the cyclone, we had completed a 1-in-500 year level upgrade at Taradale, and planned to upgrade Ngatarawa and Moteo stopbanks.
We had secured $19.2 million through Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, for a programme of upgrades across the region including for the Taradale upgrade now complete, and additional upgrades at Ngatarawa and Moteo. We are continuing to work with Government for additional funding beyond 2023.
Our modelling didn’t include the high volume of wood debris nor did it allow for dams to form at bridges which potentially released waves of water and debris when bridges failed.
We are talking with roading authorities to ensure that new bridge heights and flood control improvements are designed together.
Hawke’s Bay Mayors and Chair have activated the regional Disaster Relief Trust, making it easy for people from anywhere in the world to donate to the cyclone recovery effort. Find the fact sheet here. You can also help those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay by donating to the fund.
| Puketapu South at the Red Shed 681 Omarunui Roadand Puketapu North. Tuesday 14 March, 6pm |
| Puketapu North at the Puketapu School Thursday 16 March, 5.30pm |
| Otane Community drop-in Meeting Otane Town Hall Wednesday 29 March, 1.30pm - 6.30pm |
| Te Pohue Community Meeting, Location and time TBC Thursday 16 March |
+64 6 835 9200
159 Dalton Street. Napier 4110
Private Bag 6006, Napier 4142
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