Climate change realities prompt Environment Southland to improve stop banks
Environment Southland is widening and raising the height of a Southland river stop bank, preparing for natural disasters due to climate change. Construction work to improve the Waihopai River stop bank on the eastern side between Stead St and the rail crossing at the north end of Philip St is starting this week. Environment Southland are anticipating the impacts of climate change and plans to strengthen Southland flood defences, catchment operations manager Randal Beal said. Stop banks are a critical part of flood defences, and the Waihopai stop bank is important for providing protection to Invercargill from the anticipated impacts of climate change, he said. READ MORE: * Stakeholders check out work on Mataura stop bank * Work on strengthening Southland stopbanks starts * Preparing Southland for climate change On the Waihopai, we are preparing for higher water levels from storm surges, sea level rise, and inundation by widening and raising the height of this section of the stop bank. This work also provides us with an opportunity to further raise the height if its needed in the future, as our understanding of the impacts of climate change and climate models change over time. This section of the stop bank is approximately 3.2 km long and is a combination of reclaimed land and constructed stop bank. Improvements include strengthening and raising the height of the stop bank, as well as installing rip rap rock. The cycle track will also be rebuilt and widened to 2.5 metres, Beal said. Ryal Bush Transport Limited is delivering the contract, which is expected to be complete by June The first section between Beatrice St and the railway line in under way this week. The stop bank has several areas of trees and shrubs, which unfortunately need to be removed, but the team will be looking at alternative areas for planting, and salvaging plants from these areas where possible, he said. Each section of stop bank will have diversions in place for cyclists and pedestrians while the work is under way, he said. Traffic management will be in place to ensure the safety of track users while heavy transport vehicles and construction machinery are on the track. Beal said improvements are being made to stop banks at Gore, Mataura, Wyndham as well as Waihopai Invercargill. Improvements to the Waimumu stopbank in Mataura began at the end of last year, which included tree removal, root raking, rebuilding of some sections of stop bank, stop bank realignment and rock armour placement. Late January, work begun at Wyndham stop banks including tree removal, root raking. Some sections of stop bank will be rebuilt strengthened and extended. A new section a section of stop bank will be constructed and culverts will be installed and replaced. The upgrades are part of the Resilient River Communities project, which are Climate Resilience projects delivered by Environment Southland. The project is co-funded by Environment Southland and central Government, through Kanoa (the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment). They are part of central governments 2020 budget, which included $210 million for climate resilience and flood protection projects across New Zealand.