HBRC completes stopbank repairs on Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī rivers

Published: 8 June 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle cut through Hawke’s Bay, breaching stopbanks, eroding land, and exposing communities to the full force of its floodwaters. Just three months on, five kilometres of stopbanks along the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī rivers have been rebuilt, restoring critical flood defences ahead of future storms.

HBRC Rapid Repair Team leader Jon Kingsford

Closing the gaps, restoring resilience

Hawke’s Bay’s 248-kilometre stopbank network has long been the region’s frontline defence against flooding. But when Cyclone Gabrielle hit, 5.6 kilometres of stopbanks were breached, spilling floodwaters into homes, farms, and roads, and causing extensive erosion.

These repairs were an absolute focus for the Regional Council, and have been completed in a short time frame, thanks to the hard work of a dedicated team of contractors and consultants, all of whom were motivated to get it done, to protect our community.HBRC Chair Hinewai Ormsby

In the weeks following the cyclone, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) mobilised engineers, contractors, and heavy machinery to close those gaps as quickly as possible. Restoring those defences wasn’t just about repairs – it was about ensuring communities had protection in place before the next major storm.

HBRC Chair Hinewai Ormsby said the speed of the repairs was critical.

The repair crews worked methodically, sourcing gravel from areas near the breach sites to rebuild the core of the stopbanks. Over this, they laid a silt or clay cap, then a topsoil layer, and finally a thick cover of grass – a crucial finishing touch that helps the structure bind together and resist future floodwaters.

HBRC’s Rapid Repair Team leader Jon Kingsford explains, "The grass is important to make sure those layers bind together and resist any flow of river across that surface."

More work ahead

With the breaches repaired, attention now turns to scour and erosion damage – the wear and tear left behind as floodwaters chewed into the stopbanks, weakening their long-term strength. Crews will spend the next three months reinforcing these areas, ensuring the region’s defences are fit for the future.

Kingsford acknowledged the scale of the challenge but credited the mahi of those who put the stopbanks back in shape.

"While the hard work to close the big holes in the stopbanks is done, we still have work ahead to ensure they’re back to pre-cyclone standard."

And as for the people who made it happen? He didn’t hesitate.

"I want to acknowledge the fantastic support we have received from our local contractors and consultants, and those who came to work with us from outside the region. We couldn’t have done this without them."

Reinforcing the future

With the immediate repairs complete HBRC is looking ahead – reviewing the region’s flood protection scheme to see how it can be sharpened, strengthened, and future-proofed. This could mean introducing secondary flow paths to redirect floodwaters or creating catchment detention areas to absorb excess water before it reaches communities.

Chair Ormsby said the council would work closely with the community as part of this process.

We will do this in collaboration with our community and will gather feedback from people who were impacted by the cyclone.

The next storm will come – but so will the lessons, the planning, and the work to keep Hawke’s Bay better prepared.

Want to know more?

The Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī stopbank repairs are part of HBRC’s wider flood resilience upgrades – a long-term effort to strengthen and future-proof the region’s existing flood defences.

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