Source: Northland Regional Council
A $1.5 million project to re-route a 500-metre section of the Kaeo River to better protect Kaeo township from flooding has got underway with a preliminary dig along the proposed alignment.
Group Manager Community Resilience Louisa Gritt says project staff from Northland Regional Council (NRC), tangata whenua representatives, archaeologists, local contractors and engineers gathered at Kaeo recently (subs: Friday 26 Sept) to excavate 10 test pits along a forgotten river path – a paleo channel – that the re-directed river will soon occupy again.
The dig served as both a geotechnical Investigation to gain a clearer understanding of the soil structure and composition in the area, as well as an exploratory archaeological dig.
Ms Gritt says the Kaeo River – Whangaroa Catchment Working Group had last year approved the construction of further flood protection works for Kaeo township and adjacent portions of State Highway 10 for resilience to home and business owners and main roading routes.
The project will see the junction of the Waikara Stream and Kaeo River shifted 500 metres downstream and a new 500-metre long deflection bank constructed alongside Kaeo township.
Once complete, the project is expected to reduce the depth of floodwaters in Kaeo during a one in a hundred year flood event by up to half a metre.
Ms Gritt says regional councils play a critical role in flood risk management.
“The Kaeo scheme is one of several flood management schemes in place in Northland to reduce risk to life, property and infrastructure.”
She says the Kaeo project has many opportunities in addition to the flood reduction benefits, such as wetland and channel enhancement, habitat restoration, and planting schemes.”
This project is funded through a combination of targeted and regionwide flood infrastructure rates and central government funding from National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (formerly Crown Infrastructure Partners).
Ms Gritt says the project has been allocated $1.5 million for completion and is eligible for further funding relating to environmental and community enhancement aspects of the wider project.
Earthworks will be carried out from next month and are expected to take two months, with planting and landscape work to continue into the 2026 work season.
She says during the recent work, test pits up to three metres deep were dug.
There had been no notable archaeological finds, but the survey had confirmed the suitability of excavated material for use in the construction of a new deflection bank that will help protect Kaeo township.
