Yesterday, the Otago Daily Times reported concerns from Balclutha businesses that a key flood mitigation measure had not been activated quickly enough by Clutha District Council as flooding began on Friday.
Duffy Engineering owner George Duffy said his Frances St business had been inundated by about 50cm of water from the adjoining Hospital Creek, from about 9am on Friday.
He said he had been told by someone familiar with the creek’s passage through the Hospital Creek Retention Embankment that an outflow valve, which he believed would have prevented flooding, had not been closed until about 11.30am.
However, the council said yesterday the valve had been shut off at 9.11am on Friday, and there were likely several other combined causes for the flooding on Frances St.
Council deputy chief executive Jules Witt said the council would investigate the Frances St issues as part of a wider review of the flood event.
"Field staff were constantly monitoring the Hospital Creek pump station where debris can sometimes reduce inflows. This operated throughout the rainfall event and is essential to remove stormwater from the lower catchment when the Clutha River is in flood.
“Flooding in this issue was not just related to the stormwater retention pond. It is also related to rainfall in the catchment, Clutha River levels and the operation of the downstream pump station.
"There is no way to know if a change in timing would have had a meaningful impact on flooding in the area."
Mr Witt said the embankment captured water from a "very large" catchment, which was released through a 450mm outflow.
The review would investigate the whole flooding event, and look at properties in Frances St, High St and James St.
