The Waimakariri and Kaiapoi River stopbanks protect Kaiapoi township and the surrounding area from flooding. They are part of the Waimakariri-Eyre-Cust flood protection system which is maintained by Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury).
In the 1960s, riverbank rock armour was installed to prevent both erosion and the stopbank from breaching on this very sharp bend. Over the years the river has narrowed, and a deep scour hole has developed, increasing erosion vulnerability.
The Climate Change Resilience project was completed in October 2021 and involved strengthening the existing rock protection around McIntoshs bend, with the addition of new rock protection along the lower Kaiapoi River and adjacent stopbank. In addition, local public amenities have been enhanced including an upgrade of the car park, a new toilet block, picnic tables and 5000 native plants added to the area.
Find out more about the Kaiapoi flood protection project on the Environment Canterbury website.
