Rangitāiki River floodwalls

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Despite a very wet autumn causing a few delays, the construction of the floodwalls near College Road is progressing well.

The sheet piles that form the structure of the wall have all been installed, and these are now being ‘capped’ in concrete. This involves using a custom steel mould that is positioned around the sheet piles and filled with concrete, giving the wall its shape.

Once this is complete, the construction team will be installing a pool-style fence on top, to give security to the neighbouring properties, and completing remedial earthworks in those properties and along the walkway area.

The project is currently scheduled for completion in July 2023.

2022-12-09 - Construction on College Road floodwall begins

Works are underway to upgrade the floodwall along College Road in Edgecumbe township.

This section of floodwall is the final stage of Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana’s work to upgrade floodwalls downstream of the Edgecumbe College breach site, as part of the Rangitāiki River Floodwalls project.

Whakatāne contractor, Tracks Concrete Ltd, moved into the site on Tuesday, December 6, and will use the coming weeks to set up access points to the stopbank.

In conjunction with the floodwall upgrade, additional tree removal and vegetation clearance is taking place along the upstream section of the Rangitāiki River Walkway under routine maintenance.

This is being done so the stopbank can be repaired and strengthened, and continue to protect the community. Stopbanks are only as strong as their weakest link and are vulnerable to damage caused by vegetation (such as trees), which can cause potential seepage issues.

Works are expected to pause around Tuesday, December 20 through to Monday, January 16, to reduce the impact of construction noise and vibrations on the community over the Christmas / New Year’s period.

Please note, the Rangitāiki River Walkway will remain closed until the project is complete (approximately April / May 2023). A detour is in place along the College Road footpath.

The Rangitāiki River Floodwalls project is one of six ‘shovel ready’ projects Regional Council received funding for as part of Central Government’s Crown Infrastructure Funding.

If you have any questions or concerns during the construction period, please direct them to engineering@boprc.govt.nz or 0800 884 880.

2022-10-19 - Works to upgrade the floodwalls due to begin in Nov/Dec 2022

Works to upgrade the floodwalls along College Road, Edgecumbe, are due to begin in November/December 2022.

This is the final stage of the Rangitāiki River Floodwalls project, to upgrade the flood defences at key locations along the river, which will help protect the community from a flood in the coming decades.

Construction will take place from 87 to 109 College Road, along the Rangitāiki River walkway. During construction period (approx. November / December 2022 through to April / May 2023), the walkway will be closed to users. Low-level construction noise may impact Edgecumbe residents during normal work hours (approx. 7am to 5pm weekdays).

Ongoing monitoring will be done to assess the impacts. We will work closely with the appointed contractor to ensure all resource consent conditions are met and impacts on the community are managed appropriately.

2021-10-11 - Progress on the College Road floodwall

The final stage of the Rangitāiki River floodwalls project along College Road is underway, with the 10 affected landowners supporting proposed designs and completion of the work.

The College Road section is the third and final stage to replace and upgrade the floodwalls along the Rangitāiki River, following the 2017 Edgecumbe flooding event.

The proposed design for the College Road floodwalls includes the installation of a new steel sheetpile wall into the stopbank, which will replace the existing concrete floodwall and provide more effective seepage control below ground.

Once the sheetpile wall is installed, it will be encased in concrete and a pool-style fence will be installed on top of the wall. This will enhance the look of the wall and provide security for neighbouring residents. 

As part of the work with affected landowners, Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana will undertake some general landscaping to leave the newly upgraded area looking tidy.

Project Team Leader Peter Hay says all the landowners have been great to work with.

“Open and ongoing communication with all parties has been at the heart of the project,” says Peter.  “We’ve particularly appreciated the great cooperation and kind feedback we’ve received from landowners.”

Once the project has obtained resource consent, the works will go out for tender later this year. Works are scheduled to commence around November 2022 for a mid-2023 completion.

The Rangitāiki River floodwalls is part of the Regional Council’s flood protection work along the Rangitāiki River Scheme, which includes the Rangitāiki Floodway and Spillway development and future work along the lower catchment.

Flood protection, such as stopbanks and floodwalls, is the first line of defence when it comes to reducing the impact of significant flooding. These defences are important as the effects of a changing climate means there is an increased likelihood of more frequent heavy rain events and intense storms, alongside a rising sea level.

See the full details on Regional Council’s flood protection works along the scheme.