Work on a substantial flood risk mitigation programme is underway in the region, with support from central government funding.
A report tabled at Wednesday’s Greater Wellington Regional Council [GWRC] meeting in Masterton set out progress to date in clearing river blockages across Wairarapa.
The work is being paid for with a cash injection of $3.5 million from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, while GWRC is contributing $250,000 in project management time.
The flood resilience funding is being used for crack willow blockage removal in the region’s eastern rivers.
In January and February, about $64,000 was spent on debris removal from multiple sites.
Material on the Taueru River was removed at a site about 600 metres above the Ruamāhanga and Taueru confluence, with more than 1800 cubic metres of debris moved.
In January nine blockage sites on the Whareama River were removed in the eastern upper catchment area, and about four kilometres of
