Information on the flood management and stormwater treatment projects within the corridor.
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Flood management and new stormwater treatment facilities will play a significant role in the future of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, as we work to improve the quality of the water entering the awa and help the city prepare to live with sea-level rise in the future.
Waitaki Street Stopbank and Tidal Wetland
Within the Regeneration Area, 22km of flood management is planned, including stopbanks and floodwalls. The first 472m section of stopbank was completed in the Waitaki Street area in February 2024. This has meant the area on the river-side of the stopbank can be allowed to revert to tidal wetland. Council will be assisting this process by removing some small sections of the temporary stopbank in the summer of 2024/25, which will allow natural tidal processes to occur.
Waitaki Street Stormwater Basin
Construction of a nine-hectare Waitaki Street stormwater treatment basins will begin in 2025. Situated between Anzac Drive, Pages Road and the Ōtākaro Avon River, the Waitaki St stormwater basins will catch and treat all stormwater from a large area of Aranui before it's discharged into the river. This is the first in a series of stormwater treatment systems that will be installed along the river to reduce the impact of the urban environment on the awa.
Bexley Stopbank
The temporary stopbanks along the edge of the Ōtākaro Avon River in Bexley are nearing the end of their design life. Therefore, this is a priority area to construct new flood management.
This will be further away from the river’s edge, from south of Pages Road to Bridge Street. In most parts this is designed to be an earthen stopbank. At the southern end, close to the road, there is not room for this kind of stopbank so a sheetpile floodwall will be installed.
ANZAC Drive (SH74) to Waitaki Stopbank
The next section of stopbank is currently being designed. This will extend from the north of the constructed Waitaki Street Stopbank to ANZAC Drive (SH74). Design for this section will continue through 2025 with construction scheduled to being in the 2025/26 summer.
The project team are working closely with the City to Sea team as the pathway will be on top of or alongside the stopbank in this reach.