Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/30116-westport-overflow-channel-maintenace-expenses on November 04, 2025 17:08

Westport Overflow Channel Maintenace Expenses.

Kevin Smith made this Official Information request to West Coast Regional Council

The request was successful.

From: Kevin Smith

Dear West Coast Regional Council,

The WCRC took over the flood protection on the Buller River following amalgamation in 1989.

Prior to the is date the modifications and maintenance had been carried out by a number of bodies including, but not limited to, Buller County Council, Ministry of Works, Westland Catchment Board, Buller District Council, Westport Harbour Board.

The flood protection scheme mainly consisted of an overflow channel than ran from Te Kuha to the sea, exiting at the mouth of the Orowaiti, near Snodgrass.

The first recorded maintenance of the channel appears in 1873.
Records are available that show the major work and maintenance through the years, up until 1989.
Major work was carried out with the straightening of the river in 1890's.

Rock wall improvements during 1928 and 1929.
More maintenance at Organs Island in 1939.

It is the period from 1989 to the present that I am now enquiring about.

My question.....

Could the WCRC please provide the maintenance records including dates and details of work carried out on the Buller River Flood Protection Scheme from 1989 to the present ?

Basically a breakdown of the major work done and the years, the dates.

Yours faithfully,

Kevin Smith

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From: Rasela Barrow
West Coast Regional Council

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Dear Kevin,

Further to your official information request received at the Council on 17
February 2025 seeking information regarding works on the Buller River
Flood Protection Scheme, we have processed your request under the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA).  We have
decided to grant your request.  Our Infrastructure staff have advised as
follows:

 

There is no information held by the West Coast Regional Council regarding
flood protection works carried out in the Buller River from 1989 until the
formation of the Westport Rating District in 2020. We are not aware of any
formal ‘Buller River Flood Protection Scheme’ prior to the formation of
the rating district. 

 

You have asked for a breakdown of the major works done and the dates. 
Since the formation of the Westport Rating District, the following works
have been undertaken:

  

Project Works Dates
Organs Island Training Repair of Organs Island Construction commenced
Wall rock wall July 2022 and completed in
October 2022
Kawatiri Farm erosion Top up an existing rock Construction commenced
repair wall and rebuild eroded October 2022 and completed
sections, and formation in May 2023
of a new rock revetment
South Bank beach Contouring and raking of Construction commenced and
raking a gravel beach on the completed in July 2022
true left of the Buller
River at Organs Island,
and formation of a low
berm

 

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Please contact me if you have any further queries.  If you require further
information regarding the above, please provide details regarding what
specific information you are seeking.  Please note this would be treated
as a new request. 

 

Yours sincerely

Rasela Barrow

For and on behalf of

Darryl Lew

Chief Executive

 

 

Rasela Barrow​​​​
Executive Assistant |  West Coast Regional Council
[2][email address]  | [3]+64 3 744 7337  |  [4]+6421795517 [5]Facebook [6]Twitter [7]YouTube
[8]West Coast Regional Council Website

 

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