Wānaka
ORC provides flood protection and land drainage for approximately 43,000 hectares of rural and urban land in Otago, with more than 200km of floodbanks, 14 pumping stations, 42 bridges, 369 culverts and various other infrastructure including weirs, walls, trees and groynes.
Many of Otago’s communities are in low-lying areas close to rivers that pose a flood hazard. A scheme is a network of infrastructure assets in a particular area designed to protect communities from flood hazards, to drain farmland or to manage rivers. ORC also helps to manage rivers outside of the schemes by monitoring and managing river channels, managing vegetation and mitigating erosion where appropriate.
Otago Regional Council's drainage schemes protect regions from flooding using methods like gravity, pumps, and open drains. These schemes reduce flood risk, safeguarding people and livelihoods. The council also maintains river channels, manages vegetation, and mitigates erosion.
Learn about our flood repair programme for affected communities after a flooding event.
The Engineering Team at Otago Regional Council undertake annual programmes of work, to manage water flow in waterways around Otago.
ORC's draft Infrastructure Strategy identifies key issues in flood protection, land drainage, and river management. Integrated into the Long-Term Plan, it guides decision-making and resilience efforts.
The Flood Protection Management Bylaw is the regulation that safeguards flood protection and land drainage assets owned or managed by Otago Regional Council.
