Debris which has built up after the last flood on the Shag River several months ago is apparent at the Blue bridge which takes Horse Range Rd across the river near Palmerston.
Debris in the river itself is the responsibility of the Otago Regional Council. Debris piled up against bridges is the responsibility of the local council to remove. In this case, it is the Waitaki District Council.
Council roading engineer Michael Voss said he was aware of the debris that had accumulated at Blue bridge, and it was on the list for removal when a digger was in the area. The debris would be removed when the river level dropped sufficiently to allow a digger into the river bed to shift the material, he said.
Last month, the Shag River won the supreme award, sponsored by the Morgan Foundation, for the greatest improvement in the health of any New Zealand river.
