Bay of Plenty weather: Mud and debris keeping BoP highway reopened

A section of State Highway 2 in the Bay of Plenty has reopened following the clean up of thick mud and debris.

Several days of persistent rain in the Eastern Bay of Plenty caused flooding and triggered slips, including one that damaged a retired couple’s home on the outskirts of Tāneatua. The road was closed for several days.

Thick mud and debris in the Waimana Gorge. Photo / Waka Kotahi

The Waimana Gorge, between Tāneatua and Kutarere, had been closed since Tuesday with a further slip yesterday slowing progress clearing three earlier slips, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said.

Geotechnical engineers assessed the slips giving teams the go-ahead to start using loaders to clear the thick mud and debris off the road.

Waka Kotahi warned the ground was completely saturated and there were further risks of slips.

Due to a dropout just west of Matahi Rd, at Rotoma, stop/go traffic management was in place.

The transport agency said the SH2 Waimana Gorge was now open following prior flooding.

ROAD OPEN - FINAL UPDATE 1PM, SAT 6 MAY
SH2 Waimana Gorge is now OPEN following prior flooding. Thank you for your patience. ^SG https://t.co/jWpICp89uV

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) May 6, 2023

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council said the heavy rain this week had caused ponding in low-lying areas on floodplains and the ground was very saturated, so rivers and streams continued to be at elevated levels.

Lower Kaituna and Whakatāne Rivers were slowly receding to their normal river channel and other Eastern Bay of Plenty rivers that experienced a minor increase were also receding, the council said.

Spilling at the Matahina Dam was due to stop.

Thick mud and debris in the Waimana Gorge. Photo / Waka Kotahi

Rain amounts and forecast

MetService meteorologist Josh Law said 159mm of rain had been recorded in Whakatāne during the first three days of May, with the highest daily amount recorded at 86.4mm on May 2.

Law said the normal amount for the entire month of May was around 140mm.

The Whakatāne River reached its highest level on Wednesday since 2019, according to the regional council, as 230mm of rain fell across the entire catchment.

MetService has lifted all weather warnings and watches for the Bay of Plenty but occasional rain was forecast for the region today.

Law said the weather in the Bay of Plenty was looking drier in the next few days.

“For the Bay we are still going to be keeping hold of these northerly winds, cloud and a few showers over the next few days. The weather is looking much drier than we have seen lately with the heavy rain look set to impact areas to the west of the country – Nelson, Taranaki, Northland for example.

“However, it’s worth keeping an eye on the forecast for the start of next week as rain moves back in from the west for Monday and Tuesday.”