The Otago Regional Council is urging people to be cautious around rivers and low lying land as waterways around Central Otago and the upper Clutha catchments rise with the on-going rain system.

ORC’s Manager Natural Hazards Jean-Luc Payan says the river levels in the Upper Clutha and Central Otago catchments have risen during the night and are expected to stay high during the day.

“Caution is required for activities near river banks or low lying land adjacent to rivers,” Dr Payan says.

Heavy rain has fallen in the headwaters of Otago; in the Upper Clutha River catchments and in the headwaters of Central Otago rivers, including but not limited to the Kawarau River, the Shotover River, the Lindis River, the Manuherekia River and the Kye Burn/Upper Taieri River, he says.

“River levels in those catchments have risen during the night and expected to stay high during the day. This includes the downstream sections of rivers as higher than normal flows will result from the heavy rain in the headwaters,” Dr Payan says.

He urges people with concerns to visit https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-our-environment/water/water-monitoring-and-alerts

MetService says there remains an active front affecting southern New Zealand which stays slow-moving today (Tuesday) as a few low centres form on the front, which then evolves into a complex low pressure system late today and tomorrow.

This system should then move slowly eastwards on Thursday, bringing strong and cold southerlies to the east of New Zealand. A ridge is forecast to build over the South Island on Friday and Saturday.

Weather situation at 7am this morning

No flooding is expected for Lake Wakatipu and Lake Wanaka; lake reserves are likely to inundate.

The Manuherekia River at Ophir went through its second alarm at 200 cumecs.

The river is expected to peak later today.

The Lindis River catchment is also experiencing high flows.

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