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Residents of a Canterbury township are calling for more work to be done to reduce the impact of flooding on the community.
Little River has had a succession of major floods in recent years. The most severe was in February when about five months of rain fell in 35 hours.
Little River Wairewa Community Trust trustee Donald Matheson presented its ‘Little River Big Ideas’ plan to Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board last week, which reflected the residents’ key priorities and goals going forward.
“Flooding is at the top of that list. We really need to keep the momentum going so the next time it rains, we’re better prepared,” Matheson said.
The Little River Cafe was closed after February’s flooding. Cafe owner Cameron Gordon had to relocate it to his other restaurant, The One Next Door, for about six months.
It was the fifth time the cafe has flooded over the 20 years he has run the business. But Gordon said the most recent event was by far the worst. The cafe finally reopened two weeks ago.
Gordon said another flood feels inevitable and he is in a “constant state of anxiety” about the prospect.
“I think there’s been a bit of a ‘let’s get on with it’ attitude. This time people are pretty done and pretty anxious about what we do going forward.”
Gordon has friends in the community who have sold up and left Little River as a result of how the flooding could affect property values.
He said the city council’s response to the flooding was initially a “guns blazing” approach, but he had heard very little since.
Gordon was happy to see the community push for more action.
The trust’s plan outlines riverbank planting to reduce erosion and community-led flood mitigation projects.
Matheson said one idea is to put in a swale to increase rainwater infiltration and reduce flood risk. The trust would need funding from the city council’s 2027 Long-Term Plan to enable the infrastructure.
Wairewa Rūnanga is also investigating building an ocean outflow pipe to ensure a constant flow of water from Lake Forsyth to the sea.
Gordon said the most simple and effective solution is to open the lake when rain was forecasted.
Environment Canterbury community preparedness and response to hazards core service lead Ian McKenzie said changes were made to the Wairewa rating district in this year’s Annual Plan.
The budget was increased by $35,000, allowing for more river maintenance and flood protection work.
ECan has put forward Little River as a potential future investment location through the ‘Before the Deluge’ business case, which is seeking greater central Government co-investment in flood resilience projects, he said.
The document presented to the board is a refresh of its original version released 10 years ago. It was first developed by Dr Suzanne Vallance, then a Lincoln University academic and Little River resident.
The trust decided to update its ‘Big Ideas’ plan in 2023 due to the area’s growth and aspirations. It underwent a two-year consultation process through an online survey, social media posts, and talking to residents at large community events.
Outside of flood mitigation, the trust found residents want more recreational trails, wastewater infrastructure improvements, better road safety measures and investment in shared community facilities.
The updated document took into account the needs of Birdlings Flat residents as well, who wanted upgrades to the community hall, playground and car park. A lack of services such as health and public transport were also flagged as issues.
Matheson described it as an “enabling document” that lets the city council know there is enthusiasm for improvements to be made.
“The council is spending a huge amount of money on wastewater in Akaroa. That’s super important and without taking anything away from that, we need to make sure other things don’t get lost,” Matheson said.
He said the board’s response was positive but the next step is for projects within its plan to be given specific timelines.
“A document that sits on
the shelf is not doing anything for us.”