New Flood Protection Tool Available for Ohura Area

The flood prone Mangaroa River that flows through Ohura has now been added to Horizons automated river flow measurement and forecast system on their website.

The website provides real time river flow levels based on actual rainfall with a prediction that shows where the level of the river is expected to peak at.

Ruapehu Emergency Management Officer Nick Watson said that this will provide a useful tool for Ohura area residents to make decisions that will help protect lives, property and stock in heavy storm events.

“Being based on actual river flow data and rainfall this will give people confidence in the peak river level prediction and allow them to make decisions accordingly,” he said.

“The system is part of a river height information system Horizons operates for anyone whose property may be affected in the event of high flows or flooding.”

“People can also subscribe to receive an alert when a river on the system reaches a certain level which they can set themselves.”

“With storm events just around the corner the addition of the Mangaroa River to Horizons automated web system could prove to be invaluable this winter.”

Mr Watson added that he would strongly recommend that people go to the Horizons website and familiarize themselves with how to find and use the river rainfall chart system before they need it in a storm event.

“From the Horizons homepage www.horizons.govt.nz click on ‘River Heights and Rainfall’ from the ‘Quick Find’ menu, select ‘River Level Forecast’ from the drop down menu then either select the top pin on the map or select ‘Mangaroa at Ohura Town Bridge’ from the site menu.”

ends

© Scoop Media