ORC has welcomed confirmation the Ministry for Business and Innovation has granted a total $4.7 million funding across six separate flood protection projects in the Clutha district and near Mosgiel, south of Dunedin.

ORC’s Chief Executive Richard Saunders welcomed confirmation of the funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, thanking the government for the investment which will enable ORC to accelerate its flood and drainage work programme.

He highlighted the complexity and diversity of work required for the four projects within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme and two projects across the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme – which collectively protect more than 13,000 people and almost $6 billion of assets.

“Numerous flood and high river events spanning from 2017 through October 2024 have taken their toll on ORC’s flood infrastructure assets, which could otherwise threaten hundreds of properties, businesses, stock, roads, Dunedin’s airport and thousands of hectares of productive land,” he says.

The new $96 million investment package was announced this afternoon on the bank of Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River by Minister for Regional Development Shane Jones alongside LGNZ Regional Sector Chair Daran Ponter. Of the 32 projects, 22 are based in the South Island.

A total $7.8 million is scheduled to be spent on the six Otago projects, with the MBIE share of $4.7 million contributing to about 60% of the overall costs, and the $3.1 million balance funded by ORC.

The $4.7 million is the second tranche of MBIE funding confirmed for Otago, the first tranche being $5.4 million in Government funding announced in August 2024, for further works on the Taieri Contour Channel flood-bank project, south of Dunedin near Mosgiel.

Mr Saunders says the wide-ranging work in tranche two funding runs from geotechnical investigations through to repair and maintenance of coastal and inland flood banks, channels, culverts and streams.

“People are experiencing firsthand the effects of increasing climatic events, so it’s more important than ever to maintain ORC’s flood protection assets across Otago,” he says.

From the tranche two funding round, there are four recipient projects within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme, which were all damaged to some degree in the October 2024 flood event, and two projects in the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme.

The six projects receiving 60% Funding (project name in bold)

• $2 million - Puerua River outfall structure upgrades, within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme, to replace large outfall culverts, following flood event damage in October 2024.
• $1.6 million - Riverbank Rd flood risk mitigation, within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme, for upgrades and realignment of existing stopbanks.
• $1 million - Puerua flood protection strengthening, within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme, for geotechnical investigation and repair of existing stopbanks, following flood event damage in October 2024.
• $700,000 - Kaitangata floodbank reconstruction, within the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme, reconstruction of the Kaitangata floodbank, which protects the namesake township, which was damaged by successive floods in 2022 and 2024.

These 4 projects (above) collectively protect:

50km of rail network
180 hectares of residential land and over 480 residential dwellings
9500 hectares of pastoral land 
120km of roading, including 2km of state highway and 2 highway bridges 
The overall rateable value of the land and assets protected by the Lower Clutha Flood Protection and Drainage Scheme is approximately $1.7 Billion.

• $1.7 million - East Taieri Lower Pond structure upgrades, within the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme, to comprehensively upgrade gate structures, culverts, and associated infrastructure, following deterioration after high river events in 2017 and 2021.
• $800,000 - Silver Stream Capacity Improvements, within the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme, to improve the water carrying capacity of the Silver Stream to enhance protection of Mosgiel township and downstream properties.

The 2 projects (above) collectively protect:

3300 hectares of residential land and more than 5000 residential dwellings
11,000 hectares of pastoral land 
Dunedin International Airport
228km of roading, including 23km of state highway and 4 highway bridges 
86km of rail network
8 schools
3 substations

The overall rateable value of land and assets protected by the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme is approximately $4 Billion.

Background:

ORC provides flood protection and land drainage for about 43,000 hectares of rural and urban land in Otago, with more than 200km of flood banks, 14 pumping stations, 42 bridges, 369 culverts and various other infrastructure including weirs, walls, trees and groynes.

Many of Otago’s communities are in low-lying areas close to rivers which pose a flood hazard. A scheme is a network of infrastructure assets in a particular area designed to protect communities from flood hazards, to drain farmland or to manage rivers. ORC also helps to manage rivers outside of the schemes by monitoring and managing river channels, managing vegetation and mitigating erosion where appropriate.

Today’s announcement: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/flood-resilience-funding-targets-regional-risk , including map of projects

Further details on Otago flood schemes here: https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-natural-hazards/flood-defences/

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