Residents’ views are being sought on development of effective flood management options for Masterton being prepared by Greater Wellington and Masterton District Council.

Three public drop-in sessions will take place on 8 and 9 December, following a meeting with residents directly affected by flooding identified in recently -released draft flood hazard maps.

The jointly updated flood hazard maps, which show that flooding is likely to be less extensive than previously thought, are still in draft pending an independent audit expected to be carried out over the next few months.

Possible flood mitigations will address a one percent annual chance/1-in-100 year flood – essentially a flood that has a one percent chance of occurring in any year. Affected areas in this scenario include areas of Oxford Street, Mawley Park and parts of Akura Road.

“This is an opportunity for the community to voice its opinion on how we should go about managing the impact of flooding from the Waipoua River. We encourage people to get involved and give us their views,” says Bob Francis, chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Te Kāuru Upper Ruamāhanga Flood Plain Management Subcommittee.

The approaches break down into five key elements of flood management:

• catchment management, or managing the amount and speed of water flowing into the river;
• storage attenuation, or how to hold or release it into the river;
• conveyance improvements, or how to manage the speed and volume of water in the river;
• flood resilience, or how to enable flood water to flow out of the river while minimising damage;
• containment, or what flood defences may be needed to contain the water within the river.

Public response to these approaches will be factored into the development of several options. They will support the floodplain management plan’s broad approach to managing flood risks, protecting and enhancing or restoring natural and cultural values while recognising the significance of the catchment’s rivers to affected land owners and the broader community.

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