Residents of Little River, a settlement on Banks Peninsula, are once again grappling with the aftermath of flooding that has hit the area for the second time in a year. They are questioning why the Christchurch City Council waited until the town was already inundated before opening Lake Forsyth to the ocean.
The small community of 300 residents, located about 30km south of Christchurch, experienced a similar flood last May. This time around, residents feel that opening the lake earlier could have helped mitigate the flooding in the town.
Cameron Gordon, the owner of the Little River Cafe and Store, whose business and home were affected by the flooding, expressed frustration with the council’s decision-making process. He believes that opening Lake Forsyth prior to the flooding event could have significantly reduced the damage caused.
Lake Forsyth, situated just a kilometer south of Little River, is connected to the ocean by a canal that can be opened using diggers. The council has guidelines for when the lake can be opened based on its water levels and the threat of inundation. However, residents feel that these guidelines are not effective in preventing flooding in the town.
Despite the council eventually opening the lake after the flooding had already occurred, residents like Lisa Ashfield, whose second-hand store was flooded for the second time in less than a year, feel that authorities are not learning from past experiences. They believe that a constant flow of water out of the village towards the lake and ocean could help reduce the impact of flooding.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger, on the other hand, believes that the unprecedented amount of rainfall was the main cause of the flooding and not the level of the lake. He is advocating for the installation of a diversion along the Okana River to manage excess water during heavy rain events.
In the long term, Mauger is looking at implementing a multimillion-dollar project called the Ocean Connection, which would enable a continual flow of water between the lake and the sea. This project, along with the proposed diversion channel, aims to better prepare the town for future flood events caused by increasingly severe weather patterns.
