Our Nelson
Issue 153 – 7 September 2022

Your questions on the weather event answered 
Where are things currently? 
We know there’s a lot to do to get Nelson back on its feet. It will require the hard work and generous cooperation of our community along with the assistance of many agencies and organisations. Actions and costs will be shared between asset or property owners, insurance companies, banks, Council and central government. This will continue to be important as Whakatū Nelson takes action to get back to business as usual.
Water supply – do we have enough? 
We’ve found where the Maitai Raw Water Pipeline is damaged, it’s about 1.3 km from the Maitai Dam. Several sections of the pipe have broken off, leaving around a 12-metre gap.
It’s likely a major landslide from the hill above caused the damage. It’s not an easy fix, but the Duplicate Raw Water Pipeline is performing well which means we have enough water in Nelson for normal usage.
However, as we are operating at a reduced capacity we are asking residents to be mindful of water usage.  Try to carry out clean-up jobs that require lots of water outside of our peak hours (7-9am and 4-8pm). 
Why were there diggers removing gravel in the Maitai River?
Data on the Maitai River from before the recent weather event showed gravel was evenly distributed throughout the riverbed. 
But the extreme weather we experienced brought down huge amounts of gravel into the river, which mostly settled near the Collingwood Street bridge. 
Removing it has enabled us to drop water in the river down to normal levels. The same was done after the 2011 weather event. 
While removing gravel can help stabilise water levels, clearing it does not prevent the flooding we experienced from occurring. To put the amount of rain in perspective, the Maitai River usually has a flow rate of around 2m3/sec. Peak flow during the weather event was around 350-400m3/sec. 
Any removal of gravel needs to consider environmental impacts as it disturbs the riverbed.
What happened with the storm 
culverts near Nile Street? 
Secondary flow from Cleveland Terrace culvert affected private property on Nile Street East, as it did in 1970 and 2011. There have been significant stormwater upgrades on this street. Following the 1970 flood, the intake and culvert were upgraded. In 2009, a 1.2m diameter pipe was installed downstream of the chamber on Cleveland Terrace, and in 2019 Council installed a new 1.6m diameter stormwater main on Nile Street East.  
Modern stormwater culverts are built to withstand substantial rainfall events, but the volume of water (along with gravel and debris) experienced in this event was more than any culvert could cope with.   
Stormwater intakes are inspected on a routine basis. Our contractor cleared the Cleveland Terrace culvert, which became blocked during the heavy rainfall, as soon as they could while also responding to many other issues throughout the City.
High flood levels were also caused by the overtopping of the Maitai River stopbank between Hanby Park and 25 Mill Street, as well as the overland flow from Cleveland Terrace. 
What happened to Devenish Place?
During the rain, part of the road at Devenish Place was damaged. 
A slip blocked the intake to the stormwater line, and when nearby Oldham Creek overtopped this caused more stormwater than normal to flow down the road. This eventually resulted in the road’s collapse during the weather event. 
It is common throughout New Zealand for secondary stormwater flow (the natural path that stormwater takes where it exceeds the capacity of the primary stormwater pipe, or where there is a blockage) to travel down roads and other natural topography. By routing stormwater flow along roads, we reduce the amount of water that potentially flows through private property.
Our Roading team have worked hard and fast to temporarily fill in the road to provide access to residents. The road will be fully repaired as soon as possible.
What are the cleanfill sites?
During the weather event there were hundreds of slips right across Nelson. To assist people clearing slips from their property and ensure soil and other non-hazardous debris was dealt with correctly, Civil Defence authorised several different sites where soil from slips around the region could be stockpiled as it was being cleared.
The Glenduan Reserve was chosen as one of these sites as it is relatively accessible for people in the area. Some of the stockpiled soil will be used to improve the reserve’s soil quality and drainage. The stockpile is temporary and surplus material will be removed. 
Miyazu Gardens was chosen due to its accessibility to Atawhai where there was a considerable number of slips. Material is not being stockpiled directly in the gardens but on a patch of land nearby. Some material at the Miyazu site will be reused to help shape the area. 
No hazardous or commercial waste can be left at any of these sites, and people looking to dispose of material contaminated by wastewater should phone Council on 03 546 0200. Any excess material will be removed from these sites once there is no longer a need for them. Demand for the cleanfill site at Saxton is dropping off so it’s scheduled to close on Saturday, 10 September

Keen to lend a hand? Info for volunteers
In partnership with Top of the South Neighbourhood Support and Volunteer Nelson, there is now a Facebook group to help connect people in our region in need of support with those offering to help.
To join, search Nelson Tasman August 2022 Weather Event Community Response & Recovery on Facebook, and please share with friends and whānau. Not on Facebook? Visit shape.nelson.govt.nz and click on the ‘Volunteer to help’ tile to register your interest. 
We have seen remarkable acts of kindness from the community, with people mucking in to help friends and strangers clean up and recover from the weather event last week. But there is still a lot left to do. 
We understand this is a very difficult and emotional time for many in our community. We can’t do this unless we do this together, so please continue to be kind to each other, look out for your neighbours, family and friends, and support one another as best as possible.

Thank you Tasman Rugby Union! 
For every ticket sold to Wednesday's (7 September) Mako vs Wellington match and Sunday’s (11 September) Mako vs Taranaki match, the Tasman Rugby Union is donating $3 to the Nelson Tasman Mayoral Relief Fund. 
Tasman Rugby Union CEO Lyndon Bray says the donation is about showing support for the region. 
“As a group, our staff and players feel for everyone impacted by the recent weather event. We want to make a difference for those affected and contributing to the Nelson Tasman Mayoral Relief Fund is going to get support where it’s most needed. Many of our fans at the two Mako matches within our ‘storm week’ will also text a donation to the appeal.” 
Mayor Rachel Reese says the Tasman Mako community heart is evident on and off the field
“This is a team that is so much a part of our region, showing their support to the community. We know that right across Te Tau Ihu the impacts of the natural disaster will continue to be felt for some time to come and money raised will go directly to those impacted.”

The Nelson-Tasman Mayoral Fund is now worth more than half a million dollars 
Thanks to everyone who has donated, this money will go a long way to helping people affected by the floods.
We’ve had 866 donations, raising $566k, including
$300k from central government and $266k from individuals, local businesses and organisations
A reminder that you can get a tax credit for your donation. Please direct applications for donation receipts for tax credit purposes to 
Finance.Officer@ncc.govt.nz and include the following in your email: name of donor, bank account number, and amount donated.
Taonga Tuku Iho: protection of treasures handed down from our ancestors
A draft strategy that updates Nelson Whakatū’s approach to preserving our heritage and collective identity is open for feedback. 
Chair of the Community and Recreation Committee Tim Skinner says the Strategy plays an important role in protecting more aspects of our diverse heritage.
“The word ‘heritage’ typically makes people think of buildings and artefacts, but this strategy expands that understanding to include the non-physical parts of culture, like stories, language, and traditions, that are also an important part of Nelson’s history,” says Councilor Skinner.
“The name Taonga Tuku Iho was gifted by iwi to reflect the wider purpose of this strategy. We have been talking to Te Tauihu iwi, heritage groups, and community partners as part of the development of this draft strategy. A key outcome we’ll be seeking is for all of us to work together in the protection and management of taonga in Whakatū.”
Have your say today
There are only two days left to give feedback on Taonga Tuku Iho, Heritage Strategy 2022-2032. Feedback closes on Friday 9 September 2022.