Repeated flooding ‘stressful’
REPEATED flooding and inadequate flood protection make it ‘‘incredibly stressful’’ to run a business in Middlemarch, businessman Steve Goodlass says.
‘‘I’m worried for the future,’’ he said.
‘‘Unless it gets fixed, how do we resolve it?’’
Both the Otago Regional Council and the Dunedin City Council provided general statements about working with each other and the community, but little detail amid the cleanup effort from the weekend’s flooding.
A meeting is expected to be held this month.
Contractors were working in Middlemarch yesterday to keep water channels clear and to make Gladbrook Rd, in particular, easier to drive on.
Vegetation and flood debris is expected to be cleared in the coming days.
City council chief executive Sandy Graham said the city’s stormwater and transport networks had performed well, given the amount of rain, and staff and contractors had worked tirelessly.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said the council would meet community representatives to discuss how it could support economic development in Strath Taieri.
Mr Goodlass may take some convincing.
He is coowner of the Shebikeshebikes bike rental firm, which operates a depot in Snow Ave, which was flooded twice last weekend.
The depot remained out of action yesterday and he was helping arrange alternative facilities for clients.
Floodwater from March Creek, near the township, was combining with surface water on nearby paddocks, leading to water pouring down the township’s main street.
Insufficient flood control measures had been taken to prevent floodwaters from reaching the township, and more planning was needed to remove water more quickly after it had arrived, Mr Goodlass said.
It was ‘‘very frustrating’’ that more robust action had not been taken after the November 2018 flooding.
Dunedin City Council 3 Waters group manager Tom Dyer said the town’s wastewater system was built in 1963 and was generally fit for purpose.
The stormwater network, also installed in 1963, was limited and stormwater from the township generally ran to a network of creeks and drains.
The council was assessing the area after the weekend’s rain, Mr Dyer said.
Otago Regional Council was asked about flood protection schemes and plans, but ignored the line of questioning.
Middlemarch farmer Bales Elliot (77) said the transformation from dry conditions to last weekend’s deluge was the most extreme turn in the weather he could recall from 50 years of farming.
On Friday, the rain gauge at his property had 21.5mm. The next morning, it had 23mm, then 54.5mm on Sunday, 67mm on Monday and 19mm yesterday. Otago regional councillor Kate Wilson was out area delivering food packages from the Mosgiel food bank yesterday.
Middlemarch had a quarter of its average annual rainfall in just three days, she said.