Murihiku Southland

This project aims to address deferred maintenance and improve the hydraulic capacity of the Whitestone River to reduce flood risk for the Te Anau Basin.

The work includes strengthening key stop banks to improve resilience during major flood events.

This project upgrades key parts of the flood protection scheme to reduce erosion, increase river stability, and improve river channel capacity for higher flows.

In May 2024, Environment Southland completed an upgrade to the Waihōpai River (true left) stop bank, designed to meet the increase in extreme sea levels in the Kōreti New River Estuary resulting from climate change. The work is part of a broader vision to enhance the flood defences of Southland’s largest urban centre, Waihōpai Invercargill (population 57,000+), and protect critical infrastructure (Invercargill Airport).

Environment Southland has replaced the aging Stead Street pump station with a new facility housing two new-generation Archimedes screw pumps. The project was driven by the age and type of the previous infrastructure, a requirement to bolster climate resilience for Murihiku Southland’s biggest urban centre and to meet national legislation and policy requirements for safe fish passage and the aspirations of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku in restoring the health of Kōreti New River Estuary.

Environment Southland is undertaking riverbank stabilisation work and upgrading the stop banks that protect the town of Mataura (population 1500+). The Boundary Creek stop bank extension and upgrade was completed in April 2022, and rock strengthening work on the Waimumu stop bank was completed in May 2023.

Environment Southland is upgrading the existing stop banks in the town of Gore (population 7300+). Construction of a new stop bank along Toronto and Ontario Streets was completed in October 2023.

Environment Southland has completed bulk earthworks to upgrade the existing stop bank network that protects Wyndham (population 550+). The aim has been to provide a more robust and continuous flood defence scheme for Wyndham by focusing on areas that present the most risk to the community in the event of flooding in the near term.

Environment Southland has completed flood damage remediation work in the lower-to-mid reaches of the Waiau River. This project is on farmland and provides river edge protection to the Waiau above Te Waewae (Waiau) Lagoon.