Strengthened stopbank design in Te Karaka endorsed by Gisborne District Council

The preferred stopbank alignment design in Te Karaka, approved by Gisborne District councillors last week. Graphic / Gisborne District Council

Gisborne District councillors have approved a preferred stopbank alignment design that will strengthen flood protection for Te Karaka.

The decision marks the next stage of the Te Karaka Flood Resilience Improvement Project, supported by $13.2 million in government funding.

According to the council, the project is designed to handle a 5625 cubic metre per second (cumec) flood event when complete. Cyclone Gabrielle was estimated by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research to have produced a 4000 cumec flood event.

The decision was made at a meeting last week and follows 18 months of detailed technical work.

The council said in a statement that there had been a strong partnership with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and the Te Karaka community.

“Iwi and community representatives have worked alongside council engineers and technical experts to ensure the final solution combines local knowledge, values and lived experience with robust flood modelling and design,” the statement said.

Joss Ruifrok, the council’s regional rivers manager, said Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted the urgent need to improve Te Karaka’s flood protection.

“The decision to approve the retreated stopbank design and to move forward into detailed design and consenting is a significant milestone in this project,” Ruifrok said.

“By partnering with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and engaging with the community, we’ve been able to identify a solution that reflects both engineering best practice and the priorities of the people who live here.”

The approved design will mean some sections of the stopbank are shifted closer to the Te Karaka township, with about 200 households and a population of around 525, defending a smaller area and making more room for the awa.

“This approach strengthens flood protection for Te Karaka and builds resilience, while following best practice for how rivers are managed around the world,” Ruifrok said.

Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki lead, Pimia Wehi, a lifelong Te Karaka resident, said the partnership had been crucial to ensure the outcome was community-led.

“Our whānau have carried the impacts of flooding for generations. Partnering with Council has allowed us to ensure iwi values, community voices and technical expertise all come together in this solution. It’s a proud step forward for Te Karaka,” Wehi said.

Throughout the process, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and the council held joint community hui, formed a community steering group and gathered extensive feedback through workshops and online submissions.

The council said the feedback gained had directly influenced the shortlist of options and helped shape the preferred alignment.

The next stage of the project is detailed consent-level design and consenting, alongside continued engagement with affected landowners and the wider community.

Subject to consent approval, the stage three construction timeline has an estimated start time of early 2027 for work and an estimated two-year timeframe to complete the upgrade.