Current river works

Native planting and stopbank maintenance along the Ōpihi River in Fairlie

Starting in July 2026

In late July and August, we will plant around 1210 native plants at two sites along the Ōpihi River in Fairlie. A total of 1,000 plants will be planted between Talbot Road and Ōpihi Gorge Road, building on planting work that has taken place there in recent years. A further 210 plants will be planted near the SH79 Ōpihi River Allandale Bridge to replace some plants that need to be removed from the nearby stopbank as part of planned maintenance work.

Some of the plants being removed were planted by community volunteers. While these plantings were well-intentioned and provide environmental benefits, trees and larger shrubs are not suitable on stopbanks because they can weaken the structure over time and reduce its ability to protect nearby homes, farms and infrastructure during flood events.

Planting 210 native plants nearby will help maintain the area's ecological and amenity values while ensuring the stopbank can continue to provide flood protection for the community.

Before planting begins, an excavator will be used to prepare the site near the SH79 bridge.

Access to the work area may be limited while work is underway for health and safety reasons. Any restrictions will be clearly signposted.

• WHAT: Site preparation and native planting.    
• WHERE: Ōpihi River, on the true left berm immediately upstream of the SH79 Ōpihi River Allandale Bridge and the true right berm between Talbot Road and Ōpihi Gorge Road.   
• WHEN: Site preparation and native planting in late July and August 2026.   
• Stopbank maintenance work planned for October.

Temuka River berm vegetation mulching and tree clearance – Winter 2026

WHAT: 

Environment Canterbury will be carrying out vegetation mulching and tree clearance in several areas along the true left berm of the Temuka River.

The work is designed to improve the river’s ability to safely manage flood flows and increase the resilience of the berm during high river events.
Some areas will also be cleared in preparation for planting several thousand native and flood-protection plants.

These plantings will increase vegetation cover and diversity, helping to strengthen the berm over time.

WHEN: 20 July to 17 August 2026

WHERE: Temuka River berm, near Temuka Domain and Temuka Golf Course

Temporary signage will be installed before work begins, and some areas will be closed to the public while work is underway. We ask people to follow all signage and stay clear of active work sites for their safety.

Channel maintenance and native planting on Twenty One Drain

WHAT: We will be undertaking drainage channel maintenance and site preparation works within a coastal drainage channel between the Ashburton and Rangitata rivers.

The works involve clearing and processing woody material, improving access and preparing the site for riparian native planting.

Native planting will take place later this winter in August to increase indigenous vegetation cover and long-term shading and habitat values.

WHEN: July - August 2026

WHERE: Twenty One Drain, downstream of Ocean View Road

Stream maintenance work underway on Taumatakahu Stream

WHAT: We’re carrying out mechanical stream maintenance in sections of Taumatakahu Stream in Temuka. The work includes:

• removing aquatic weeds and vegetation where needed
• removing in-stream and overhanging trees where needed
• clearing debris and other blockages affecting water flow.

Excavators and other machinery will work within the stream and from nearby access points.

WHEN: 15  -  26 June

WHERE: Work is taking place in sections of Taumatakahu Stream, as shown on the maps.

WHY: This work helps to:

• improve how the stream carries floodwater
• reduce the risk of blockages from vegetation and debris
• maintain the drainage and flood protection network
• improve resilience ahead of heavy rainfall.

Taumatakahu Stream maintenance area near Maude Street and Fox Street, Temuka

Taumatakahu Stream maintenance area near Milford Clandeboye Road and Temuka Cemetery

• Removing selected trees and vegetation
• Clearing debris from the river corridor
• Processing material on site at a skidding site off Highfield Road
• Removing usable wood from site
• Chipping and spreading smaller material on site

• Reduce fire risk to nearby homes, visitors and recreation areas
• Limit the spread of wilding conifers along the river corridor

• Machinery operating in the river corridor
• Increased vehicle movements near access points including Highview Lane
• Temporary noise and disruption
• Temporary restrictions to some public access areas to keep people safe

Hakatere Lake Hood Berm

Where: Above Lake Hood, true right berm. The site will be accessed via Boundary Road.

What: We will carry out mulching and vegetation scraping using a tractor-mounted mulcher and an excavator to clear vegetation, in preparation for native planting as shown on the attached site plan. The purpose of native planting at this site is to improve vegetation density and vegetation diversity, and to help manage weeds in the long term by establishing permanent shade.

Two areas of approximately 2500m² each will be cleared and planted under the willow canopy, within the areas shown by the green polygons on the site plan. One or two areas, totalling 1000m² will be cleared for geotextile planting as shown by the blue polygons on the site plan. During site preparation, the contractor will install hazards and safety signs at both ends of the walking track and will have a spotter present. The track may need to be closed for a couple of hours on two separate days to allow machinery to access and leave the site. 

When: Site preparation will take place in late April and May this year and is expected to take five days. Planting will be carried out between mid-June and mid-August 2026 over two to three weeks.

Rakitata/Rangitata South Branch stopbank construction

Where: South Branch of the Rangitata/Rakitata River, to the west of SH1, near Arundel-Rangitata Rd 

What: We will be constructing new stopbanks at three locations (shown in Figure 1) on private land. The works  also include realigning an existing stock water race and installing two new culverts. The gravel used to construct the stopbanks will be taken from the main branch of the Rakitata/Rangitata River, north of the site.

These works are designed to improve flood protection for the local community by reducing the risk of overland flooding when the South Branch is flowing. This will help protect nearby homes, farmland, and 
key infrastructure, including State Highway 1 and the railway line. Construction materials may be transported along public roads, and traffic management will be in place where required.

When: April 20th to end of June 2026, during dry weather.

Forestry Harvesting at ‘Grassy Banks’ site on Ōpihi River

WHAT: We are harvesting of around 27 hectares of poplar forest on the southern bank of the Ōpihi  River. The area is being harvested for timber and will be replanted in another forestry crop, the species is to be confirmed.

Parts of the river, including access tracks and roads, will be closed to the public while harvesting takes place.

WHERE: The poplar forest is on the Southern side of the Ōpihi River at the top of Seadown Road, between the SH1 bridge and Waipopo Road. 

WHEN: The harvesting crew are aiming to start on the week of 2 March 2026. The operation is expected to take 15 weeks.  

WHY: These poplars were planted for flood protection. As they have matured, harvesting them is now the best way to manage the trees and make use of their value. The income generated will be reinvested into flood protection work across the Ōpihi catchment.

Courtenay Stream floodgates construction

WHAT: Replacing the Courtenay Stream floodgates in Kaiapoi

WHERE: At the confluence of Courtenay Stream and the Kaiapoi River

WHEN: Work begins the week of 2 February 2026 and is expected to be completed by end of December

The current floodgates were built in the 1940s and are now due for renewal.

This upgrade is co‑funded through the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF), administered by Kānoa – the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit. It also forms part of our 30‑Year Infrastructure Strategy (30YIS), which accelerates essential flood‑protection upgrades across the region.

The project includes removing the old structure and building new floodgates in the same location, starting with environmental controls, site setup, fencing, and public access changes. The upgraded structure will improve flood resilience, make maintenance safer for staff, and provide much better fish passage.

To keep the stopbank track open during construction, a temporary bridge will be installed over Courtenay Stream next to the work area.