MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, August 09, 2011

City’s flood protection driving ahead

Progress towards protecting Palmerston North from a 500 year flood is on track after a successful construction season.

This year saw the construction of a 1.2 kilometre stopbank from Napier Road to Ruamahanga Crescent.

Horizons’ operations manager Allan Cook said that this was a key part of the project, labelled City Reach, as without it flood water could have overtopped the stopbank at Napier Rd drain and flowed through the city.

The stopbanks between Roxburgh Crescent and Albert St were also raised and upgraded this year and a small section of stopbanking built downstream of Maxwell’s line.

Planning is already underway for the next phase of work which focuses on Albert St to Fitzherbert Avenue and will involve the realignment of the stopbank by the Manawatu Golf Club.

Mr Cook said the coming year was a critical part of the project.

“The realignment of the stopbank will affect a small area of the golf club but we are working closely with the club to minimise this. They are hosting an international tournament the following year so we have a small window to complete this stage.”

As part of the City Reach project, Horizons is improving the recreational use of the river by incorporating the riverside walkway and amenity enhancements into the flood protection work

Councillor Jill White reported to Horizons’ catchment operations committee that she was encouraged to have recently received praise from a local resident who was enjoying using the walkway.

The $12.4 million project is about 60 per cent complete and when finished will protect 3600 homes in the city that would otherwise flood during a 500 year flood. The project is on track for completion in 2014

ENDS

© Scoop Media