MEDIA RELEASE
 

 
Pumps working in affected areas

For immediate release: 1200hrs, 17 August 2010

Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff and contractors are working across the affected areas to assist landowners where they can and assess any damage from the weekend’s heavy rain event.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Flood Duty Manager Roger Waugh said that pumping continues in the Fortunes Road and Te Rahu Basins where a serious breach of a stopbank on the Te Rahu Canal has been now been repaired.

“Fortunes Road is dropping to a level where we’ll be able to redeploy some of the additional pumps to other areas,” Mr Waugh said.

“A controlled cut has been made in a low level stopbank on the Whakatāne River to relieve floodwaters trapped behind them. We’re working with landowners to assess all options available to them.”

“Our staff are coordinating well with Trustpower and Bay of Plenty Energy to manage the Matahina Dam and Lake Aniwhenua operations.”

Trustpower continue to spill from the Matahina Dam with inflows overnight of 272 cumecs and outflows at 300 cumecs.  The level is now 0.5 metre below its maximum operating level. 

Mr Waugh said that flows in the Rangitāiki River at Te Teko have dropped from their peak yesterday of 375 cumecs to around 300 this morning.

Bay of Plenty Energy has undertaken aggressive draw downs of Lake Aniwhenua throughout the flood event and has dropped the lake level to 1.4 metres below normal operating level, the lowest safe operating level.

“Our monitoring is showing that the river level is now well down near Rabbit bridge but there is still surface water around due to the high water table,” said Mr Waugh.

Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti are still above maximum target level with flows out of the Okere Gates at maximum rate.  It is likely these flows will continue for the remainder of the week to alleviate lake levels.

Mr Waugh said a number of stopbank inspections have occurred as a result of reported seepages and staff have done some minor sandbagging of stormwater grates in Edgecumbe as a result.

“Our operations staff continue to operate a 24 hour roster to refuel pumps and tractors, clear weed at pump stations, and to respond to requests for assistance as needed,” said Mr Waugh.

For updated information, including river levels and rainfall, visit Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s website at www.envbop.govt.nz and click on the live monitoring link. 

Information on road closures is available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website at http://nzta.govt.nz/traffic/current-conditions/highway-info/road/7873/north-island.html . 

Ends

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