Access open - Opihi River works complete

Access to a recreation area along the Opihi River, near Waipopo, is open again after the completion of Environment Canterbury river erosion control works.

The flood protection operation, which began on 19 September, was significant due to the extent of the erosion, which happened after the July flood event.

The completed flood protection works on the Opihi River near the Waipopo Huts have a new gravel shelf and willow trees anchored to help prevent erosion

Shaun McCracken, Regional Lead for River Engineering, said: “We really appreciate the skilled work of all the teams involved, especially the machinery operators.  We also thank people for being patient while these important works were undertaken.”

The repair process included diverting the river away from the erosion site and building a gravel platform to install anchored tree protection along the eroded riverbank.

This involved taking willow trees from another location and anchoring them to the bank with wire ropes.

Over time, the willow trees will continue to grow and form a stable mass of plant material.  This work stabilises the bank and helps prevent further erosion.