Floodwater has no respect for council boundaries, causing devastation wherever it flows.
That fact will see Auckland Council and Waikato Regional Council come together to sort out damage caused to the Awaroa Stream in Waiuku by last year’s torrential weather.
Crews begin their work in the coming days and will start by removing vegetation from around a Jenny Lane property that suffered significant damage.
The home is close to the Auckland / Waikato border, but Franklin Local Board chair Angela Fulljames is praising staff for working together to battle a common enemy.
“When you’re knee-deep in water, or sitting powerless as floodwater rises, you don’t much care who helps, just that someone does.
“Waikato and Auckland are sharing responsibility because making sure the Awaroa flows clearly doesn’t just benefit Waiuku, it benefits those in the Waikato too.”
The Awaroa flows east from its source near Karioitahi Beach and Lake Puketi, then south from Waiuku, joining the Aka Aka Stream before reaching the Waikato River’s tidal reaches.
Crews will first carry out stream clearing downstream of Jenny Lane on both sides of the boundary, bringing in heavy equipment to remove a large tree that fell into the stream, a task requiring excavators, amphibious dredging machines and woodchippers.
Work mostly centred on clearing overhanging vegetation will take place at sites further along the stream, with crews expected to be on site for three weeks.
Fulljames says the work is being jointly funded by Auckland Council and central government from its Accelerating Storm Readiness Fund.
“The storms remain fresh in the minds of Aucklanders, and in Franklin we have areas that are still waiting for repairs. There are 15 problematic areas across Auckland in need of urgent maintenance.
“The damage suffered was unprecedented. Things needed to be prioritised and having councils work together will be welcome news for residents.”
An earlier clean-up operation in Lynfield’s Wairaki Stream had to call in a helicopter to lift heavy debris, with about 35 tonnes of trees and timber eventually cleared.
Puketāpapa Local Board chair Ella Kumar said the adverse weather showed communities needed to be better prepared.
“We encourage everyone to play a part by learning more about flood preparation and perhaps volunteering for projects such as stream restorations. Every little bit counts towards protecting ourselves and our neighbours.”
You can play a role by contacting local environmental groups about helping with planting streams and joining restoration projects. You can also visit Flood Viewer and Get Prepared to assess your risk and see what you can do to increase your flood resilience.
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