Flood damage assessment, fixes continue
SOME Central Otago roads closed from last week’s flooding have been reopened while Central Otago District Council staff and contractors continue to assess the damage from the flooding.
Dunedin hydrologist and Raineffects director Dave Stewart was yesterday optimistic that neither river levels — although some were still high — nor the overall recovery would be adversely affected by the drizzle in parts of Otago.
‘‘I don’t see a lot of significant rain coming for Dunedin and North Otago [this week],’’ he said.
The rain already falling would ‘‘slow the drying process’’, but as to earlier fears of extremely heavy rain in North Otago, ‘‘it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen’’.
A further burst of wet weather could not be ruled out early this week, but the postflood recovery would continue, and better weather was due within days.
The east coast wet weather would prove positive for overall summer agriculture, boosting pasture growth, which would help to counter any later dry conditions, after recent years of drought, he said.
MetService forecaster Brian Mercer said the worst of the wet weather for Dunedin and coastal Otago was likely to be over by about 6am today, with showers continuing but drier, brighter conditions expected in the city by about Wednesday, and by Friday in Oamaru and North Otago.
The Naseby Link Rd is now open, as is Duffy Lane, although motorists are being advised to drive with caution as there has been scour damage.
The New Zealand Transport Agency advised that State Highway 87 between Hyde and Kyeburn had early yesterday afternoon been reopened to one lane, after the highway had been closed since Wednesday night because of flooding.
‘‘Take care when driving through this route,’’ NZTA advised.
The agency also advised that two sections of State Highway 83, between Oamaru and Kurow, and between Kurow and Peebles had been reopened later yesterday afternoon, after surface water had been cleared.
Caution was still required, NZTA said.
Parts of multiple other roads remained closed yesterday due to flood damage from last week’s heavy rain.
Central Otago District Council infrastructure services manager Julie Muir said last week much of the district’s infrastructure would be assessed once floodwaters had subsided.
The infrastructure includes Bridge 94, which crosses Station Creek on St Bathans Loop Rd.
A council statement said floodwater had undermined part of the bridge and it was closed to vehicle traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.
An Otago Regional Council statement said the Clutha and Taieri rivers remained in flood but were continuing to recede. The Manuherikia River is also receding.
Further rainfall forecast in Otago was not expected to cause any of the three rivers to rise, the statement said.