Erosion fix years away
Work to protect a Horowhenua beach settlement from erosion is still years away, although officials have come up with possible solutions.
Erosion at the mouth of the Waikawa Stream has long been a problem for Waikawa Beach, and over the past few years it has speeded up, causing major headaches for homeowners near the coast.
Last year, Horizons Regional Council and Horowhenua District Council agreed to fund a report to investigate the natural processes around the stream’s mouth and find solutions.
The Tonkin and Taylor report produced three options to resolve the problems, with the most expensive costing more than $1 million.
A meeting between the Waikawa Beach Ratepayers’ Association and Horizons river management group manager Ramon Strong on Saturday discussed the options for the settlement, south-west of Levin.
Strong said the report outlined the complexity of the coastal processes and highlighted the need for a long-term solution, even though that might frustrate residents whose homes were threatened by erosion.
‘‘What the technical report highlights is that the erosion is a complex thing ... Jumping in there and trying to fix things straight away may have unintended consequences.’’
Strong said the report was only the start of a discussion between the council and the community, as any of the options would require funding from targeted rates.
It was likely the chosen option would be incorporated into Horizon’s next long-term planning process, which would happen in the next couple of years.
Strong thought the option involving extending the existing groyne, a low wall built into the sea to prevent erosion, and reestablishing the dunes was the strongest one.
The cheapest option involves modifying the groyne and replanting vegetation in the dunes. The most expensive option involves the work Strong favours, plus building a large retaining wall along the shoreline.
Ratepayers’ association committee member Miraz Jordan said the committee had not had time to discuss the three options Strong presented, but thought the report was a step in the right direction.