Project Start Year: 2024
Project status: Completed February 2025
Ōtautau township, located on the floodplain of the Aparima River and Ōtautau Stream, is a crucial service centre for the surrounding rural area, providing essential emergency services. The town and nearby farmland have a history of flooding, which is expected to worsen with climate change.
This project upgrades key parts of the flood protection scheme to reduce erosion, increase river stability, and improve river channel capacity for higher flows. Stage one involved placing 3,600 tonnes of rock to protect the stop bank toe and removing 2 ha of crack willow to enhance stream capacity. Stages Two and Three focus on a 3-kilometre section of stop bank upstream of the Aparima River Bridge, northeast of Ōtautau and involve repairing and strengthening access ramps and further willow removal at sites.
Benefits:
Protects local infrastructure, reducing future repair costs and safeguarding homes, businesses and farmland.
Enhances waterway health by stabilising river margins, reducing sediment and contaminants, and improving habitats for aquatic species.
Builds local capacity in river engineering, supporting future resilience efforts.
Adaptation & Resilience:
Restores sections of the Aparima Flood Protection Scheme, strengthening Ōtautau’s stop banks and improving resilience to more frequent and intense rainfall and flow events due to climate change.
Prepares for future upgrades by strengthening stop banks and improving floodplain capacity through pest tree removal and erosion control planting.
Supports climate adaptation by improving river flow and sediment transfer, reducing erosion risk, and maintaining channel capacity as extreme weather events increase.
Collaboration:
Co-funded by Environment Southland and central government through Kānoa’s Regional Infrastructure Fund.
Involves experienced local contractors and partners for efficient delivery, cost savings, reduced transport costs, and a lower carbon footprint.
This project is part of Environment Southland’s commitment to strengthening Murihiku Southland’s resilience to flooding and climate change impacts, safeguarding communities, the environment, and the economy for future generations.
Learn more about Environment Southland’s Climate Resilience Programme.
