Funding supports remediation of whenua

During the cyclone, whenua along Taihape Road, Omahu sustained severe flooding when stopbanks along the Okawa Stream breached in two places.

This area has several whenua Māori blocks, including 11 administered by the Māori Trustee. Five of these blocks in Kawera, along with neighbouring properties, were left with a deep scour on the whenua measuring more than 500 metres in length and up to two metres deep in some areas.

Te Tumu Paeroa visited these blocks soon after the cyclone and again in August 2023, meeting with the local council and representatives from Te Puni Kōkiri. Working with the lessee of the blocks in Kawera and the Hawke’s Bay Silt Recovery Taskforce, the blocks received more than 100,000 cubic metres of clean sediment to replace the soil lost.

Omahu 4C11B and 4C9, post-remediation

The sediment and debris funding was used to support the distribution of the sediment across the blocks, levelling it out and assisting with preparing the blocks for a new crop. It also supported the clearing of debris from the surrounding stream, enabling water to flow unhindered in future flooding events.

With the commitment of the lessee, the whenua has been able to support a crop just 12 months after the cyclone. Te Tumu Paeroa kept the advisory trustees up to date with the plan for remediation so they could see the progress being made to restore their whenua.

In Tolaga Bay, the Māori Trustee administers approximately 20 blocks downstream from the Hikuwai Bridge, which was estroyed in the cyclone. The flooding deposited several tonnes of sediment and debris onto the whenua, destroying crops and affecting farming operations.

Early engagement with the lessees meant that an understanding of the work needed was able to support the application for funding. Removal of the sediment, which was up to a metre deep in some places, was not always possible. A programme of remediation was agreed to ensure the best outcome for the whenua.

Lessees responded quickly to ensure the safety of livestock and enable access to the whenua to be restored. The restoration and support of the whenua was key to the remediation work, including the ability for lessee operations to resume, providing vital income to the owners. Te Tumu Paeroa is continuing the programme of remediation and will be reporting back to owners and trustees over the coming months.