Harbour Entrance

Whakatane District Council has been working closely with Environment Bay of Plenty to find a safe solution to the shallowing of the river channel and river bar at the mouth of the Whakatane River.

The solution is to reinstate part of the western spit wall at a lower level, removing sand from the end of the spit and discing or dredging the entranceway. This solution will cause the least amount of risk of possible flooding of the Whakatane township.

Both councils are very aware that the shallowing of the bar has caused some hardship for fishing and charter businesses and also upset recreational boaties.
Emergency works were carried out on 26 May 2009 to link the spit to the remaining rock groyne at Statue Rock in an attempt to reduce sand build up on the bar. Unfortunately those works were unsuccessful and ongoing concern about the bar meant that a medium-term to long-term solution, which would not increase the risk of flooding, was essential.

Whakatane District Council’s Director of Works and Services Haydn Read said his team had been working with Environment Bay of Plenty’s Rivers and Drainage staff to identify this solution.

Mr Read said the process has also involved investigating the options that would ensure the river channel will remain navigable for the longer term.
“To help come up with this solution, Environment Bay of Plenty staff have been working hard doing river modelling and surveying stopbanks that protect the town to ensure that any solution would not increase flood risks.
“We needed to find a balance between not putting our residents at risk and providing access through the river mouth for businesses and boaties – this is not easy and it has taken time to ensure we get it right.

“Unfortunately there are no quick fixes to some of these problems and they take time to find practicable solutions. While the Council appreciates the seriousness of the issue, it must consider the well being of Whakatane town as a top priority.”

Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Rivers and Drainage Ken Tarboton said we understand the angst of the businesses and boaties, but we also have a huge responsibility to this community to manage flood risk.

“The 2004 flooding is still remembered by many people and we do not want to increase the risks of that happening again. It is essential that we work with Whakatane District Council to ensure that the work required at the bar and river mouth does not increase the risk of flooding,” Mr Tarboton said.