The West Coast Regional Council will further address the impact of climate change on its flood protection assets as it
works through its long-term plan.
The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) advised the council in April it needed to better reflect climate change in the
way it managed its protection assets, as outlined in its Long Term Plan (LTP) consultation document.
The matter was debated this week as council considered submissions on the plan.
Climate change was likely to increase the flood risk in the region due to sea level rise -- with more frequent and
severe storm events and additional pressure on rivers "caused by larger peaks" in rainfall, the LTP draft said.
The draft said New Zealand was also moving into a 'positive' Interdecadal Pacific Ocillation (IPO) cycle, which
historically caused an increase in West Coast river levels, as was experienced in the 1980s and 1990s.
At the same time, the retreat of the snowline and thawing of high alpine areas in the region was thought to be
increasing the "mobilisation of gravel" into the river systems, as seen in the Waiho (Waiau) River at Franz Josef, and
at Hari Hari on the Wanganui River.The State highway 6 bridge over the Waiho (Waiau) River, destroyed in March 2019, was partly due to the increasing
gravel build-up of the bed of the glacial-fed river, impacted by increasing high intensity rainfall and thawing effects
on the river's upper catchment. Photo: Supplied
Those impacts would have implications for the region's flood scheme operation and maintenance -- with some special
rating districts potentially "unable to afford the current level of service," the draft said.
This could "potentially challenge" some flood protection rating districts to make future decisions about whether or not
to maintain or abandon their stop banks.
Of the 25 submissions received by council on the LTP, just three specifically commented on climate change.
Susan Thorpe referred to the "climate change scam" and sought removal of all climate policy from council's documents,
after calling the basis for it 'climate porn'.
Another submitter, Merryn Bayliss, said the council should not be "obediently implementing central government agenda's
without question" as it resulted in wasteful spending to meet questionable targets based on "false notions" about
climate change.
Resource management committee chairman Brett Cummings said he enjoyed Ms Thorpe's presentation while Cr Andy Campbell
said council needed to be "open minded".
However, chairman Peter Haddock moved a recommendation that council should proceed "on the most consistent information
available".
However, the council has decided to wait for staff advice on a formal recommendation that will address the Office of the
Auditor General's climate change flag.
Council's acting corporate services manager Aaron Prendergast reminded councillors the "adverse opinion" by the OAG has
to be addressed.
"The OAG is of the opinion that this particular council is not on par with councils around the country," he said on May
21.
As a result council could find itself disadvantaged as it sought new co-investment funding from the Government to
bolster the region's natural hazard resilience schemes, Mr Prendergast said.
Chief executive Darryl Lew said official concern about the climate resilience of councils' protection assets across the
country had increased significantly in the past year.
What the OAG was saying was "we must understand our current level of service", Mr Lew said.
At the same time, the council needed "to get ahead of the curve" in understanding the climate change impact on the level
of service its protection assets offered, Mr Lew said.
A report on the topic will be tabled at council's next meeting, scheduled on June 4, and the LTP is due for adoption on
June 25.