The cost of flood damage in the lower Waitaki River has risen after an inspection by Environment Canterbury (ECan) Timaru-based river engineering staff this week, an issue that will have to be addressed by ratepayers along the river.
Flood flows since Christmas of more than 1500cumecs - almost five times the average flow - have caused erosion and damaged protection works.
South Canterbury senior engineering officer Bruce Scarlett estimated the cost of damage and ongoing maintenance of any work carried out would be between $500,000 and $600,000, the worst for some years.
Floods in May 2009 were estimated to cost more than $400,000.
He described damage in this year's flooding as "pretty severe", with major damage in two areas - on the south side of the river at Duntroon on Geoff Keeling's property, which also has the intake for the Maerewhenua irrigation scheme, and on the north side at Ikawai below the Stonewall.
A meeting with the Lower Waitaki River rating liaison committee, which represents ratepayers along the river, was planned for March 3 to discuss the damage and the cost, and to prioritise work. Options for funding any work included increasing the rates or using a loan to be paid back from rates.
A meeting with all ratepayers was planned for the end of next month.
Rates collected total about $360,000 a year. Meridian Energy pays 40% of the cost, property owners along the river who benefit from the work pay 20% and 40% comes from rates over the whole Canterbury region.
Mr Scarlett also met the Maerewhenua Community Irrigation Company to discuss the threat to its intake on Mr Keeling's property.
Erosion protection, which involved placing big trees against the bank, had not worked, Mr Scarlett said. The solution would have to be major work to move water in the channel towards the centre of the riverbed.
Yesterday, for the first time since Christmas, the river was flowing about 390cumecs, heading back down to its average flow of 350cumecs.
