Project Start Year: 2025
The Ashburton River/Hakatere Flood Resilience Infrastructure Upgrades project upgrades existing flood protection assets and associated infrastructure around Ashburton.
The project includes targeted gravel extraction in a reach of the Ashburton River’s North Branch that experiences frequent flood breakouts due to severe riverbed aggradation (gravel build-up). Removing excess gravel increases the reach’s flood resilience by improving its ability to carry flood flows.
Works include retreating and rebuilding stopbanks further from the river than previous stopbanks, and construction of a new return bank, to better protect nearby properties from future flooding. Additional work to remove invasive weeds and plant vegetation helps strengthen river berms and reduce erosion during high flows.
Benefits
The project upgrades flood protection assets in the Ashburton Hakatere catchment valued at around $319 million, including 6,000 hectares of land, 170 properties, SH1, a medical centre and six schools.
Adaptation and Resilience
Events such as the 2023 Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle have shown that extreme rainfall and flooding are occurring more often and causing more damage than in the past. Scientific evidence points to climate change increasing the intensity and frequency of these events. This project supports the future climate and flood resilience of the region through the upgrade and repair of critical flood protection infrastructure.
Collaboration
This project has been co-funded by central government’s Regional Investment Fund (RIF) and Environment Canterbury.
This project improves flood resilience in various locations along the Ashburton/Hakatere River. The project scope includes gravel extraction, berm vegetation strengthening, erosion control, and improvements to flood protection structures. These upgrades help to build resilient river communities by better protecting homes, farms, businesses, schools, hospitals, and key transport routes from future flood events.
Find out more on: River projects | Environment Canterbury
