Pōrangahau township moves from Category 2A to Category 2C: Post-cyclone land categorisation changed now potential community level Flood mitigation scheme identified

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has confirmed that Category 2A properties in Pōrangahau have been re-categorised to Category 2C, a significant step forward for the Central Hawke’s Bay town. The category change comes from identifying a viable design option for a community-level flood resilience scheme.

Pōrangahau was placed in Category 2A in mid-2023 as part of Central Government’s Land Categorisation process following Cyclone Gabrielle. The move to Category 2C indicates a significant step towards enhancing flood resilience in the area.

Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby says “We are pleased to be able to move Pōrangahau to Category 2C and provide certainty that there is a road towards Category 1. This proposed flood scheme will be the first of its kind for the community and will contribute to creating a more resilient and sustainable future as we face increasingly severe weather events.”

The category move confirms that the proposed flood scheme offers a pathway to Category 1 - the lowest risk category for assessed areas. Property owners were sent letters late October from Regional Council advising of the category change and what it means for them.

The proposed design sees stopbanks and flood walls along the northern bank of the river (township side), and the raising or relocating 2C dwellings on the southern side of the river, including Rongomaraeroa Marae and the Kaumatua Flats.

The design aims to reduce the risk of flood impacts up to a 1-in-100-year likelihood at post-Cyclone Gabrielle levels. It also includes an additional stopbank behind Kaiwhitikitiki Urupā to alleviate possible damage to the site in a flood event.

“The combination of engineering solutions outlined in the proposed design reflects the extensive effort put into developing a flood scheme that can reduce risk on both sides of the river while addressing the space constraints between the river and properties,” added Chair Ormsby.

The proposed scheme build is a part of the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) funding from Central Government’s cyclone recovery response and aims to reduce risk in severe weather events to increase the insurability of residential properties in affected regions.

Regional Council Councillor Thompson Hokianga says “it’s great to see Pōrangahau reach this milestone. They can begin to plan for the future of their whenua and whānau knowing that with the proposed scheme, generations to come will be better prepared for flood events. He tīmatanga noa iho tenei, engari, ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tīna.”

Pōrangahau is the final Category 2A area in Hawke’s Bay to be moved, and joins six other 2C areas – Wairoa, Whirinaki, Waiohiki, Pākōwhai, Omāhu, and Havelock North.

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