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Major Flood Scheme ReviewsNgā Arotake Tāwharau Nui Hei Tohe Waipuke

In February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle brought record-breaking rainfall to Hawke’s Bay. The devastation led to extensive infrastructure damage, including 30 breaches and 28 km of weakened stopbanks across the region’s flood infrastructure network.

Our response

We responded swiftly, forming a rapid rebuild team that restored 99 percent of the damaged network within eight months—work that would typically take years. In October 2023, a $240 million flood resilience programme was launched to strengthen protection for Category 2 properties, with completion targeted within four years.

Alongside these efforts, we commissioned the Hawke’s Bay Independent Flood Review (HBIFR) to assess the performance of flood protection schemes during Cyclone Gabrielle. Additional reviews by Tonkin & Taylor examined the Upper Tukituki and Heretaunga Plains flood schemes, which 84 percent of the region’s population.

The Reimagining Flood Resilience Project

In response to these reviews, we established the Reimagining Project – that covers the Upper Tukituki and Heretaunga Plains flood schemes. This project takes a long-term approach to flood management and explores how Hawke’s Bay can enhance flood resilience for future generations.

Key recommendations guiding the project include:

  • Making room for rivers – Designing secondary systems like spillways and storage areas to minimise community impact during extreme floods.
  • Community collaboration – Engaging mana whenua, local stakeholders, and residents in flood risk solutions.
  • Local knowledge – Integrating community insights into flood management planning.

Currently in its development phase, this project is a critical step toward building a more resilient future for Hawke’s Bay. We will share more details as the project progresses.

Major Flood Scheme Reviews
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info@hbrc.govt.nz

+64 6 835 9200


159 Dalton Street. Napier 4110

Private Bag 6006, Napier 4142


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