MEDIA RELEASE

1145 hours 1 September 2015

Karangahake Gorge may need to close due to rising river level

Waikato Regional Council’s hazards team is warning motorists and the general public that the Karangahake Gorge road may need to close this afternoon due to the rise of the Ohinemuri River because of heavy rain.

It’s also possible temporary flood protection structures may go up on the Criterion Bridge at Paeroa, preventing traffic for getting into the town from the direction of Hamilton.

Rain in parts of the Waikato is expected to be quite intense into as late as the early afternoon today before things settle down.

The hazards team is also liaising with Mighty River Power over managing the flow of water through the hydro dam system on the Waikato River to help minimise flooding.

All river levels in the region are currently elevated and the level is expected to rise further as the recent rain works its way further into waterways.

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