Kaumatua Pari Walker (left), Daniel Hauraki and Fred Tito with regional council chairman Bill Shepherd as the sun rises during the dawn blessing ceremony for the new detention dam in Whangarei.
The multi-million dollar detention dam designed to reduce costly floods in Whangarei's Central Business District has been officially named and opened.
The dam, called Hopua te Nihotetea, was blessed by Whangarei kaumatua in a dawn ceremony on Saturday. A larger civic ceremony followed several hours later, which included unveiling signs
telling the story of the $11 million structure's construction and displaying its formal name for the first time.
Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd acknowledged the contribution of local Te Parawhau hapu members during the dam's construction and for dedicating its official name.
"Hopua te Nihotetea translates as 'capturing the Nihotetea Stream', which nicely reflects this detention dam's purpose," Mr Shepherd said.
Nihotetea Stream is a tributary at the headwaters of the Raumanga Stream. The dam will rapidly capture up to 1.3 million cubic metres of floodwater during heavy rain and then slowly release it into the Raumanga Stream over several days.
