West Coast leaders are at loggerheads over whether to sacrifice the flood-ravaged south side of the Waiho (Waiau) River, in order to save Franz Josef Glacier township on the opposite bank.
Westland Mayor Bruce Smith says the West Coast Regional Council has done nothing, and West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor says it is time for Mr Smith and his Westland District Council to stop grandstanding.
Meanwhile, another meeting is planned for next week and some remedial work will be done in the riverbed, after three-quarters of the stopbank on the south side of the river was blown out during the massive storm last Tuesday.
Scientists have warned for years that the Waiho River - which comes out of the glacier and is filling with gravel - has been kept in too narrow a channel.
Several reports to West Coast councils have previously recommended letting the stopbanks go, sacrificing the south bank and allowing the river to flow out naturally.
Mayor Smith said there were 82 residents on the south bank, including 18 children -- "would we walk away from Bruce Bay or Okarito?"
"What's the impact on Westland Milk? Take them out, what happens to the Fox farm pick ups?"
Walking away from south side could cost $35 million in compensation.
Mr Smith wants to urgently strengthen the stopbank, and said the second priority was to get Government support.
"Get a holistic plan building stopbanks right along the south side while cutting a hole in the Waiho Loop (a natural glacial moraine), which in itself will release most of the pressure off the (south side) wall."
Mr Smith said the stopbank had been there since 1982 and the regional council had advised it was insured, and hence should claim.
Asked if the river had been constricted by the stopbanks, the mayor said, "it's 1km wide".
West Coast Regional Council chairman Mike Meehan said they would report back to residents next week with options, including rebuilding the stopbank.
Asked if government money would be available to buy out or compensate flood victims, Mr Meehan said: "Damien's talking to us. There are some challenges. We will be guided by the community down there."
Mr O'Connor told RNZ it was unwise to keep putting the stopbanks "up and up and up" and he called the Westland District Council "cavalier".
"We have to have some honesty from local government leaders, not grandstanding."
The Westland council had allowed people to develop on the north and south side of Franz.
Asked who should pay if the south side was abandoned, he suggested some people had developed land knowing of the risk.
"Council has some responsibility, as has central Government and NZTA."
In the midst of it all are the landowners.
Waiho Flat farmer Peter Dennehy said they wanted some immediate protection to hold back the river as they were exposed to the next flood.
Asked if people would go if offered compensation, he said: "Some farmers would go, some would definitely take the offer ... others would not".
"There's no quick fix."
- By Laura Mills
