MEDIA RELEASE
Regional Council staff monitor flooded
rivers
For immediate release: 15 August 07.00 update
Rain has eased across the region, but Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff are closely monitoring all
rivers.
Regional Council Duty Flood Manager Bruce Crabbe said the Otara, Waioeka, and Waimana Rivers
exceeded second warning levels, but have now peaked and are receding.
The Whakatāne River flow has exceeded 2200m3/s and has now levelled out. High tide is only a concern
for Whakatāne and not all the rivers. Operations staff are monitoring the Whakatāne river with high tide
due between 10.30am and 11am.
There is concern that rivers may rise again.
MetService has advised a further 50-80mm rainfall is due east of Whakatāne to midday Sunday.
Rainfall totals in the previous 48 hours:
Waimana at Ranger Station
Waioeka at Cableway
Tutaetoko (Otara Catchment)
Whakatāne at Huiteiki
323mm
244mm
230mm
190mm
The Upper Rangitāiki Catchment has recorded between 74 and 122 mm and the Rangitāiki Plains have
recorded up to 160mm.
Mr Crabbe said businesses on the Whakatāne wharf have been warned that river levels have reached the
underside of the wharf, and are still rising.
Trust Power lowered Matahina lake levels by increasing spilling. Stop logs have been installed due to
rising levels in the Whakatāne River, and also in the Te Rahu and Waioho Canals. High tide at around
11:00pm last night did not cause any further flooding.
The Regional Council’s operation crews are out monitoring pumps and stopbanks and responding to
calls.
Mr Crabbe said surface floodwater is expected on low-lying rural land for some days until drainage
systems can remove the excess water.
A number of roads around the region are closed with slips and flooding. Due to many large slips the
Waioeka gorge is closed, and Opotiki is currently isolated due to slips in surrounding areas. The road is
also closed between Tāneatua and Kutarere by flooding.
More information on road closures is available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website at
http://nzta.govt.nz/traffic/current-conditions/highway-info/road/7873/north-island.html .
5 Quay Street, P O Box 364, Whakatane, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 ENV BOP (368 267)
Email: info@envbop.govt.nz
Pollution Hotline: 0800 73 83 93
Facsimile: 0800 ENV FAX (368 329)
Website: www.envbop.govt.nz
International: +64 7 9223390
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For updated information, visit Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s website at www.envbop.govt.nz and click
on the live monitoring link to see updates of river and rainfall levels around the region.
The next update will occur mid morning.
Ends
For more media information contact Bronwyn Campbell, Community Relations Manager,
ph 021 287 9380
or Linda Thompson, Senior Communications Advisor, on 021 923 339.