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A project designed to improve flood resilience for homeowners with streams on their property is being rolled out in Whangaparāoa and other parts of the coast such as Hatfields Beach.
A total of $100,000 has been allocated for the work by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. Through Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters (stormwater) division, that money has been given to environmental group Restore Hibiscus and Bays.
The resulting Green Your Stream project was trialled in the East Coast Bays earlier in the year (HM May 20), supporting the owners of private properties with the knowledge and resources to clear weeds from the streams on their land and replant the banks with natives to stabilise them.
The stated aim of Green your Stream was “to bring those most impacted by extreme weather events together to undertake work that will benefit themselves and those downstream; decrease sedimentation; create a natural buffer to the sides of the stream; slow the water’s passage through the catchment, decreasing pressure on stormwater bottlenecks such as piped stream sections and culverts; and increase water absorption by improving soil”.
It also involved explaining to landowners that council sees managing streams on private property as the homeowner’s responsibility.
Healthy Waters told the local board back in May that the pilot was a big success, with more than 63 homeowners in Long Bay, Browns Bay and Murrays Bay signing up to take part, and the additional funding has now enabled a rollout on the Hibiscus Coast.
Residents are approached by Restore Hibiscus and Bays volunteers who will be door knocking at properties that have streams. They will be wearing the group’s t-shirts and can also leave information if no one is home. So far, a number of homeowners in Red Beach, Hatfields Beach and Arkles Bay are participating.
Restore Hibiscus and Bays manager Kelly Meikle says the door knocking goes on for months as it sometimes involves long conversations with homeowners to help them see their roles in caring for the streams on their land, and decreasing the flooding.
“These are people who were sadly the most affected by last year’s storms, so they often need to vent a little,” she says.
That process will continue until they have recruited enough homeowners that want to follow through with planting the stream’s riparian margins next season.
She says the project also aims to educate homeowners about the impact on building structures such as fences in streams and overland flow paths.
“These barriers also impede waterflow during storms and residents who were impacted by last year’s flooding could consider installing fences with easily removable panels for when severe weather is forecast.”
The group has a map that identified relevant properties for Restore Hibiscus and Bays to visit. However, anyone with a stream on their land, or who lives on an overland flood path and has concerns about flooding, is welcome to get in touch, email info@restorehb.org.nz
