Hundreds at Masterton flood talks

HAZARDS HIGHLIGHTED: Hundreds of people sought answers and guidance at an information day at the Masterton Town Hall on Saturday that showed greatly increased flood hazards for homeowners in the town. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

More than two hundred people living in Masterton flood zones went face-to-face with civic leaders about the danger threatening their homes.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) on Saturday hosted a Te Kauru Upper Ruamahanga Valley Flood Hazard Information Day at the Masterton Town Hall.

Organisers were pleased with the number of people who turned out to the event and the questions asked, according to GWRC spokeswoman Brigitte Marulli de Barletta.

The meeting came on the heels of new GWRC data released last week using aerial images, surveys, flood mapping and analytics that update an almost 20-year-old flood plain model.

The data showed a heightened risk of flooding from the Waipoua River and significantly enlarged residential flood zones throughout an area north of the town from Akura Rd and upper Oxford St to the Homebush sewage ponds and Lees Pakaraka Road in the south.

Greater Wellington regional councillor Gary McPhee said he was impressed by the number of people seeking answers and was "particularly pleased with the quality of the discussions we shared with homeowners".

"Some residents simply wanted to discuss specific details about flood impact on their property, but many were interested to hear how the information would inform a long-term solution to managing flood hazard in the area."

Discussions focused on flood warnings, the potential impact on property prices and insurance, building or extending properties, and community flood risk management, Ms Marulli de Barletta said.

"Some people were keen to discuss technical aspects including details of the computer mapping technology that is now being used, how surveys were carried out; and what data was used to calculate water flow."

The risk of a major 100-year flood had "surprised" some affected upper Wairarapa valley residents who were at the meeting, Ms Marulli de Barletta said, and some home-owners near the Masterton central business district believed an existing flood stop-bank would be enough protection.

Ms Marulli de Barletta said numerous rural residents were pragmatic about the risks and pleased at the detailed information available.

Bob Francis, Te Kauru Upper Ruamahanga Valley sub-committee chairman, was delighted to find "many people were finding out information for others".

"They were planning to share their new knowledge about flood risk in the area and support friends, neighbours and family members," he said.

"I know that Masterton and Carterton District Councils and members of the Floodplain Management Plan sub-committee formed earlier this year, are keen to have as much community input as possible to the comprehensive floodplain management plan being developed," he said.

"We will begin consulting with the community about options to tackle the flooding, later this year."

For more information about the floodplain management plan call the Greater Wellington Regional Council Flood Protection Team on 06 378 2484 or 0800 496 734 or email info@gw.govt.nz.