Gisborne City and 10,000ha of some of the region’s most productive land are now better protected from flooding, following the completion of the Waipaoa Flood Control Scheme, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.
“The people of Tairāwhiti can feel proud of what has been achieved here. Since 2019, approximately 64km of stopbanks along both sides of Waipaoa River have been widened and raised, providing a higher level of protection designed to withstand a one-in-100-year flood event,” Mr Jones says.
“In key locations, stopbanks have been widened to up to 4m and raised by as much as 2m to protect communities and valuable food-producing land.
“Cyclone Gabrielle demonstrated the importance of this work and the need to finish the job. Even before the project was fully completed, upgraded sections of the scheme provided greater protection for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land,” Mr Jones says.
Mr Jones attended an event at Waipaoa River today to officially mark the completion of the scheme.
Crown support for the scheme included a $7.5 million grant through the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund in 2020 and a further $18.4m through the Cyclone Recovery Programme in 2023.
“These investments accelerated Gisborne District Council’s work, bringing the scheme’s completion forward by four years. The completed scheme will strengthen the region's resilience for decades to come, helping safeguard homes, transport links, public infrastructure, and the horticultural, viticultural and farming land that underpins the Tairāwhiti economy.”
The total cost of the project was $35.1m and included $9.2m in co-funding from Gisborne District Council.