Hon Mark Patterson
Associate Minister for Regional Development

A new floodway infrastructure upgrade that provides flood protection and resilience for Edgecumbe was opened today by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson.

“The completion of this multi-stage project is an impressive milestone that has been undertaken over 12 years and is one of the largest flood resilience projects completed in New Zealand in recent times. It will bring much needed flood protection for communities and will enable economic development opportunities in the Eastern Bay of Plenty,” Mr Patterson says.

“We only need to think back to the 2017 Edgecumbe floods to realise how critically important this project is to the region. The floods saw water pouring through this area after the Rangitāiki River burst its banks causing millions of dollars in damage, displacing many people, and disrupting the lives of many families for a considerable amount of time.”

The Rangitāiki Floodway upgrade was a six-stage project designed to take pressure off the flood prone Rangitāiki River stopbanks by diverting some of its flow during significant weather events. The final stage included increasing the capacity of the floodway and the construction of an additional spillway to manage the water flows entering the floodway from the Rangitāiki River above Edgecumbe.

Back in August 2024, this government committed $200m of the Regional Infrastructure Fund to flood resilience across New Zealand.

The $50m floodway has been co-funded, with $14m government funding, and the balance of the project funded by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and local community.

Upgrading the spillway and installing new floodgates allows the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to safely manage and control the release of flood waters,” says Mr Patterson.

“Projects like the Rangitāiki Floodway upgrade represent core, resilient infrastructure, crucial to the economic, social, cultural, and environmental wellbeing of our country. They help to protect lives and reduce the toll these events can have on communities, businesses, and infrastructure,” says Mr Patterson.

“This project has been a testament to the partnership between central and local government, Rangitāiki River communities, and local Iwi and industry to support community resilience and economic growth in the Eastern Bay. I look forward to seeing this newly protected land being utilised for future growth opportunities that benefit the local economy,” Mr Patterson says.

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