Key issues

Council's role in Land Drainage is ensuring stormwater is managed rather than total flood protection

A system of self-managed drainage districts with administrative and technical support from Council

What we do now

Land drainage work is undertaken in 27 drainage districts of various sizes. The Raupo Drainage Committee oversees the Raupo Drainage District, which is a committee of Council. Representatives appointed by local ratepayers oversee the other districts.

Principal activities undertaken are the maintenance of drains and outlets by weed spraying and drain cleaning as well as the maintenance and, if necessary, the replacement of floodgates. In the Raupo District stopbank maintenance is also included.

Weed spraying, drain cleaning and floodgate maintenance are undertaken by contractors appointed by the individual drainage district representatives. The district representatives also supervise the work and approve all payments. Council staff carry out asset audits and liaise with district representatives.

In addition to the drainage districts, Council also maintains the Kaihu River system in partnership with the Northland Regional Council.

Why we do it

To minimise the risks and impacts of flooding attributed to inadequate land drainage

To enhance the sustainability of agriculture through cost-effective maintenance and enhancement of drainage networks

What we agree to provide to the community

Self-management of the formal drainage districts, backed up by technical advice and audit from Council staff.

Measuring progress

Land Drainage (under separate drainage committees)

• Independent audit by Council staff shows that land drainage assets comply with agreed standards for maintenance and floodgate/stopbanks

Kaihu River

• Audit by independent consultant shows that the Kaihu River system is being maintained to the standards agreed by the proposed Management Committee in accordance with the adopted Kaihu River Management Plan. Until this committee is in place, this annual work programme is agreed between the Northland Regional Council and Kaipara District Council representatives

What is planned in 2004/05 …

• Continuing self-management of drainage districts by district representatives in liaison with Council staff

• Removing obstructions from streams and drains to reduce flooding impacts (for emergencies outside drainage districts)

• In conjunction with the Northland Regional Council and the community, the implementation of the Kaihu River Management Plan

Future plans (July 2005 - June 2007)

• Continued monitoring of drainage districts to ensure that recommended standards are being maintained

• Ongoing maintenance of the Kaihu River system in accordance with the Kaihu River Management Plan

Future plans (July 2007– June 2014)

Key directions include:

• Continued monitoring of drainage districts to ensure that recommended standards are being maintained

• Ongoing maintenance of the Kaihu River system in accordance with the Kaihu River Management Plan

Projected expenditure

Comment

The system of self-managed drainage districts works well, and no extraordinary expenditure has been identified by the various committees. The Kaihu Valley river control future expenditure levels are not known, and therefore not included in the cost estimates.