Climate change and flood risk: Building Whanganui strategy for resilience

Residents of flood-prone properties in Anzac Parade have been participating in a risk reduction strategy with Horizons Regional Council and Massey University. Photo / Giles Conley

Two Massey University experts in flood risk reduction have been in town this week to update the Whanganui community on their findings.

Professor Bruce Glavovic and Dr Martin Garcia Cartagena have been engaged by Horizons Regional Council to capture local views and experiences to help build shared understanding about Anzac Parade flood risk and resilience in a changing climate.

They have been interviewing some of the residents and owners of the estimated 100 houses on Anzac Parade that were affected when the Whanganui River burst its banks in June 2015.

Garcia Cartagena and Glavovic spoke at the Whanganui District Council meeting on Tuesday and presented a slide show of their findings so far.

Glavovic told councillors the aim of the consultation was to work on a strategy for flood risk reduction.

"Our role is very much as a bridge or facilitators of this process and it is looking at an agreed way forward," Glavovic said.

He said despite Covid-19 disruptions, interviews had been conducted with around 90 Anzac Parade residents and owners.

Nearly half the residents interviewed had lived there for 10 years or more and had experienced flooding, Glavovic said.

"Their perceptions were quite different from those of people who had moved there post-2015," he said.

Residents expressed concerns about stopbanks and the Matarawa Stream flooding again and whether their insurance would provide adequate cover for future events.

As well as feedback from the Anzac Parade stakeholders, views from tangata whenua, Te Rūnanga o Tūpoho, Whanganui District Council and key agencies within central government are to be incorporated.

It is also intended that consultation with the Whanganui community will take place in the new year.

One of the goals of the Horizons 2021–31 long-term plan is to make communities more
resilient to flooding and Massey University was engaged as an unbiased third party to consult with the affected community and collaborate on building a strategy.

While Horizons is responsible for river management which includes the safety of the community, Whanganui District Council is responsible for planning and building regulation, stormwater, road and park infrastructure, and Civil Defence response.

Anzac Parade residents and property owners were invited to meetings at the Hakeke St Community Centre this week to get an update on the resilience strategy project and discuss the next steps.

It is anticipated the strategy and recommendations will be presented to Horizons Regional Council by August 2022.