The project works completed thus far have proven instrumental in safeguarding hundreds of residences in Gisborne and preserving vast expanses of fertile land during the onslaught of Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. Reports indicate that 10,000 people and $7 billion of assets, including major transport links, were protected by the works. It has been estimated that between 50cm and 1m-deep water would have flowed towards the city if the works hadn’t been in place before the cyclone hit.
The Waipaoa project improves on the Waipaoa Flood Control Scheme, which is 64km of stopbanks, protection works and river control structures along the Waipaoa River, improving the community’s resilience to floods. The scheme protects Gisborne City and the Poverty Bay floodplains and was built between 1953 and 1967. The focus of the project is now on the western side, where 20km of stopbanks by the Patutahi township have already been completed.
Since the start of September, 2km of stopbank upgrades have been successfully completed, with construction set to continue for an additional 8km near the Patutahi Township on the western side of the Waipaoa River. This phase of the project is scheduled for completion in May 2025.
The upgrade of all 64km of the Waipaoa River Stopbanks is on-track to be completed by June 2027.
Take a look at Gisborne’s stopbank works here.
