Community to review Waiohine River Floodplain Management Plan

This week people who live alongside the Waiohine River and in Greytown will be asked to give their view on a plan to protect their homes, business and land from problems caused by river flooding and erosion.

Over the last eight years, Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) has been working with South Wairarapa and Carterton District Councils, communities and iwi to come up with an agreed Floodplain Management Plan that will take into account flood risk levels as well as the economic, recreational, cultural and environmental needs of the communities who live and work around the Waiohine River.

During the development of this draft Waiohine River Floodplain Management a number of options for managing flood risks were identified and discussed. These discussions were led by the Waiohine River Floodplain Management Planning Advisory Committee (WFMPAC), a group made up of members of the Wairarapa community, as well as District and Regional Councillors and other groups interested in the Waiohine River. The need for a comprehensive long-term plan that takes into account the effects of climate change is well supported.

"A lot of thinking, talking, information gathering and planning has gone into this document over several years. We have evaluated the risk, explored options and ideas and talked in detail with some land and property owners," said James Flanagan GWRC Flood Protection Senior Engineer. "I am confident that we have a plan that will provide a sound base for discussion by the community and I am looking forward to explaining some of the concepts and discussing the detail with people during information days at Greytown Public Library."

The Waiohine River Floodplain Management Plan describes a combination of structural , for example stop-banks, and non-structural measures, for example limits on where building development can take place.

Information has been sent to residents and property owners around the Waiohine River. Anyone with an interest in this floodplain management plan can go along to drop-in days at the Greytown Public Library, 2:00pm - 7:30pm on: Wednesday 15 June, Sunday 3 July and Wednesday 6 July. Learn more and give your feedback by Friday 15 July: www.gw.govt.nz/waiohineriver.

ENDS

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