Otago Regional Council director of environmental engineering and natural hazards Gavin Palmer outlined $840,000 worth of proposed flood protection measures at a council meeting yesterday.
He said previous land-use decisions seemed to have paid little regard to the flood risk posed by Lindsay Creek.
"Intense subdivision has occurred, restricting the space available for public works and increasing the vulnerability of houses and their occupants to the impacts of flooding.
"The flood risk is higher than what is generally considered acceptable in New Zealand for an urban area."
The core of the project would be a $690,000 floodwater detention area in Chingford Park.
Mr Palmer said water would only be diverted from Palmer Creek when the level reached 20cu m per second - the size of the peak flows during the April 2006 flood, levels that could be expected every 10 to 20 years.
There was room for a second pond at Chingford Park but that was not part of the proposal.
A plan to widen the culverts that carry Lindsay Creek was previously rejected because of the cost. The Chingford Park pond would require the construction of a 2.5m-high embankment but the park would continue to be used as it was now. Other work, including providing a floodwater dam above Forrester Park would require resource consent because some private land would be flooded when in use, Mr Palmer said.
FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES
PROJECT COSTS
Chingford Park detention area ... $690,000
Re-grading the bed of Palmers Quarry ... $70,000
Floodwall from Felix to Pentland St ... $50,000
Forrester Park culvert ... $30,000
