The flood banks around Wyndham help reduce the effects of flooding from the Mataura River and the Mimihau Stream, which wrap around the town from the north, west and south. The original flood banks were built in the early 1970s following the major 1968 flood, and were raised again after severe flooding in 1978.
During the February 2020 floods in Murihiku Southland, flood banks in Wyndham – like those in Gore and Mataura – were tested by floodwaters to near capacity, and all residents needed to evacuate. This highlighted the importance of maintaining and strengthening key parts of the region’s flood infrastructure network.
The Wyndham upgrade focused on increasing the width of the flood banks and reshaping them with flatter side slopes. This makes the structures stronger, improves access for maintenance, and allows for future increases in height if modelling shows this is needed as climate change brings more intense rainfall and larger floods.
Construction was completed in May 2024.
Read more about the Wyndham flood infrastructure upgrade project.
