Project start year: 2025
The existing stop bank between Dargaville and Te Kopuru has insufficient height to provide the level of protection required. This project seeks to strengthen and heighten 9.2km of the 11.7km stop bank, 2.5kms of which has been previously heightened and strengthened. In addition, to the reconstruction of the stop bank, this project will include reconstructing a number of flood gates and supporting drains.
The roughly 1,753ha of land protected by the project includes productive cropping, market gardening and horticultural land, as well as homes, businesses and a marae. The land is supplied with irrigation water from the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust and also includes a water source/intake pump station for that scheme.
In addition to protecting existing activities on the land behind the stop bank, this project will also offer a sufficient level of protection to enable investment in agribusiness and conversion of land to higher value cropping, horticulture and market gardening. Without the upgrade, the risk of flooding deters such investments, constraining the rural economy.
The stop bank profile has been designed to be heightened further than earlier planned works in response to sea level rise.
In addition to providing flood protection, the project also protects a water source/intake pump station for the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust. This irrigation scheme provides water to agribusinesses, both enabling higher value land use and derisking existing operations from the threat of drought.
Kaipara District Council is collaborating with the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust around the delivery of this project. This mahi is supported by co-investment funding from Kānoa's Regional Infrastructure Fund.
This project highlights the interplay between too much and too little water. Here, development of flood protection infrastructure goes hand in hand with development of drought resilience infrastructure, enabling investment in higher value agribusiness.