Strategic options for the site include a sizeable temporary water holding area, separated from ground water, and a pumping station to drain it; or a specially-designed wetland, they say.
Using part of the large park site, such features could help protect South Dunedin houses from flooding such as occurred in 2015 after unusually heavy rain.
The water-holding features could prove crucial in overall flood protection, given South Dunedin lacks a natural river or stream to move any excess surface water arising from unusually heavy rain.
GNS Science principal scientist Dr Simon Cox, of Dunedin, said the park site, in association with Bathgate Park and Tonga Park, offered "a huge opportunity to provide potentially cheaper options for managing flood water", including a possible temporary holding area.
The Forbury Park Trotting Club last month announced plans to sell its park and relocate to either a Dunedin greenfields site or Wingatui.
Engineering geologist Dr Hugh Cowan said yesterday any redevelopment of the park should take into account flood resiliency, and recent South Dunedin hydrological research findings.
Dr Cowan, who is a former resilience general manager at the Earthquake Commission (EQC) was among 250 people attending the New Zealand Geotechnical Society’s latest conference, which ended in Dunedin yesterday.
He also gave an open lecture, on natural hazard risk and promoting resiliency.
Dr Cowan highlighted recent South Dunedin hydrological research supported by a consortium, including the Otago Regional Council, the Dunedin City Council and GNS Science and led by Dr Simon Cox, of the GNS Dunedin office.
In trying to build greater resilience, good science and "engagement among diverse interests" was crucial for success, he said.
Drs Cowan and Cox said it was crucial that the community had a further say over the future of Forbury Park.
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Comments
I have been told in 2015 flood the DCC were not maintaining drains properly, and the drains were blocked which was a massive contributor to the flooding. We should be honest about the cause before, jumping to consuls ions to fix a problem which may have been a management mistake, rather than an environmental problem in the first place
Fulton Hogan were not managing the drains.
Your opinion is valid if you actually live on The Flat.
A specially-designed wetland, they say. This is exactly the kind of project we should be investing in. It would support climate change adaptation and mitagation, it would support biodiversity and beautification, while also creating jobs through development, tourism's and recreational opportunities. The council could cover George St. with concrete paving, paint more cycle lanes on the roads, put in more Barnes crossing and it will not make any difference to carbon emissions, economy or quality of life. However done right the ideas presented here could make a real big difference for Dunedin, and a little bit for the planet too.