However, the region was spared the much heavier impact of February’s river-related flooding, which hit northern Southland harder and was caused by heavy rain in the headwaters.
Emergency Management Southland group controller Angus McKay advised Southland residents to avoid unnecessary driving as it would push water from flooded streets into nearby houses.
Fire and Emergency along with police attended a burst creek near the roundabout on Bainfield Rd in Invercargill, which took several hours to pump water out.
The Myros Bush exit of the roundabout was subsequently closed for the majority of the day.
Several properties in Marama Ave North in Invercargill were affected by backyard flooding - one in particular required help from firefighters to pump water from.
Some coastal parts of Riverton, including Walker St, in Taramea Bay, where water reached knee height, were cordoned off yesterday.
Slips had occurred on Stewart Island and in the Catlins, and a "caution" warning and speed restrictions applied because of flooding on State Highway 1, between Edendale and Mataura, authorities said.
Southland Mayor Gary Tong, of Riverton, said the impact of yesterday’s surface flooding had been much less severe than during the February floods, but parts of Riverton had been significantly affected.
"I went for a drive this morning - volunteer firefighters were out there and people are helping where they can," he said.
He was hopeful the relatively warm conditions, lack of wind and the rain stopping would help with stock survival.
An agricultural consultant said some farm bridges had been washed out, and fencing damaged.
Federated Farmers Southland Provincial vice-president Bernadette Hunt said this flooding had been "totally different" from February’s.
Then the Mataura River had flooded, but in this case small streams and creeks had overflowed culverts, resulting in "much more localised" damage, Mrs Hunt said.
"There’s definitely some impact south of Mataura," she said.
Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks said some roads had been affected and required caution but the kind of river-related flooding resulting from heavy rain in headwaters had not happened this time.
"It’s more surface flooding. Most of the rain has come from this local area."
"That’s one thing about Southland - the sun always does shine eventually," he said.
ROADS CLOSED
The Southland District Council says these roads are closed on Monday:
Mataura Island-Titiroa Rd
Fleming Rd
Counsell Rd
Tokanui-Haldane Rd (slip)
Waituna Rd
Taramea West Plains Rd
Meanwhile, Wyndham Station Rd is closed but likely to open soon, while Mataura Island-Fortrose Road has a slip but is passable with care.
Roads in Western Southland around Riverton and Otautau have temporary speed limits in place and are passable with care.
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The difference is climate change. Snowed under, floods, then temperatures in the 20's.
I remember in the late 80's those of us in the environment movement were warning about climate change. We offered a range of scenarios, from best case to worst case. Over the last three years it has become obvious that our worst case scenarios were wildly optimistic.
I had to go back and see why we were so wrong. The reason was that our worst case was business as usual, we completely failed to factor in the possibility that humans would actually keep increasing the amount of Carbon Dioxide and Methane that we pump into the atmosphere.
We were shouting about the brick wall ahead and hoping to get the driver to start slowing the bus. Instead the driver glued his accelerator pedal to the floor, and the mechanics started to supercharge the motor and remove the brakes.
Do not say you were not warned.
LOL, I remember those "predictions" made by you greenies. You would have the human race all quite dead by now if you lot had your way.