Weather Update Monday 8 May 2023

With another Heavy Rain Watch in place for our region on Tuesday, now is the time to make sure we're all prepared.

The rain we received on Saturday caused some disruption across our region with flooding, road closures, and a few evacuations.  

While we thankfully didn’t experience a weather event on the scale of August 2022, MetService are forecasting further rain for our region on Tuesday. 

With the ground already sodden and rivers swollen, there is a possibility we may experience further disruptions.  

Staff at Nelson City Council and Nelson Tasman Civil Defence are on standby monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as they become available.  

For now, here are some things you can do to ensure you’re prepared for the worst: 

Check and clear your storm drains of debris.  

These are likely to be clogged with leaves and debris from the rain over the weekend. Clearing them now will prevent further debris from entering our shared stormwater system, which will cause localised flooding if it overflows.  

Have a plan. 

If you live in an area prone to flooding or landslips, have a plan in place for what to do in a weather emergency.  

Check the Get Ready website for advice on how to prepare for a variety of emergencies.  

Be prepared 

Sandbags are useful for addressing localised flooding (for example, to stop water flowing under a garage door or diverting water downhill), but they don't protect against water coming from under a house and through floorboards. 

Residents and businesses are responsible for providing their own sandbags in preparation for a storm event. 

Sandbags can typically be purchased from landscape, building and hardware suppliers. 

Another solution is to use sheets of PVC to create a waterproof barrier around doors, provided they are fixed in place adequately. 

Visit our website for more information about sandbags.  

Know where to look for important info.  

• The Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Facebook page is the first place to check for emergency information.  
• Check the MetService website for updates to the weather forecast. 
• Check Waka Kotahi NZTA’s website for updates on State Highway conditions, including closures. 
• Check the Road Info website for updates on local road closures.
• If you have an emergency or need evacuation, call 111 
• To report flooding, landslips, and other weather-related disruptions, or for assistance, call our Customer Service Centre at 03 546 0200. This phone service is available 24/7. 
• To receive important updates from Nelson City Council straight to your phone, download the Antenno app or check our Facebook Page. 

Here is where things stand from the weekend: 

Rāhui 

A rāhui has been put in place for Tasman Bay until further notice due to wastewater overflows. Entering the water, gathering seafood and kai, in-shore fishing, and gathering of crayfish, crab, kina, and paua are all prohibited.  

The rāhui covers all coastlines, river mouths, and floodwaters. 

All surface water should also be treated as contaminated. 

Road closures

• Aniseed Valley Road from Hackett Resewrve 
• Golden Hills Road 
• Kokorua Road 
• Maitai Valley Road from the end of the sealed section 
• Stafford Drive 

Maitai Valley Road 

The road is accessible to residents only up to Ralphine Way. 

4WD access only from Ralphine Way to the end of the sealed section (just past the Maitai Valley Motor Camp). 

The road is not passable to any vehicles from Poleford Bridge beyond the Maitai Valley Motor Camp.  

Infrastructure  

• Emergency work is starting today at a residence at Brook Street to remove slip debris.
• Repairs on the Atawhai Rising Main wastewater pipe are planned to begin this (Monday) afternoon. 
• Work to clean out culverts, sweep roads, and fix minor damage from last week’s rainfall continues in the Maitai, the Brook, Aniseed Valley and Atmore Terrace. 
• Stormwater intakes and sumps are being checked and cleaned. 
• Gravel traps being cleaned out in preparation. 
• Exposed slips in places have been covered and waterproofed to limit further erosion.  
• Inspections by staff around bridges and water intakes continue. 
• Crews have inspected the Maitai Shared Pathway for damage. Any required repairs will begin after the rain passes. 
• Work on the Riverside Swallow main has been postponed.  
• Riverbank protection was damaged in some areas by flooding over the weekend. Urgent repairs are underway today. 

Sports fields 

All grass sports fields remain closed until they can be assessed. 

Trails 

Please stay off all trails.   

Mountain biking in wet weather can damage tracks, particularly those with a clay substrate like the ones in Codgers.  

There may also be safety risks at the moment in the form of flooding, slips and fallen trees.  

Facilities 

We may see the Maitai River rise again tomorrow (Tuesday). Facilities alongside the river, like Riverside Pool and Elma Turner Library, may close at short notice.  

The temporary bridge at the Waahi Taakaro Golf Course has been damaged by flooding. The golf course is closed until further notice.