Heavy rain is causing rivers and streams in North Otago, Dunedin, South Otago and the Upper Taieri to rise. Rainfall is expected to continue in the Dunedin area until 9pm tonight, with lighter falls after that. Approximately 80mm has fallen in the headwaters of the Water of Leith (at Sullivan’s Dam), and the Silver Stream (Swampy Spur).

Silver Stream is expected to continue to rise and to flow over the Gordon Road spillway. The spillway is part of the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme and reduces the flood risk for land to the south of the Silver Stream including parts of Mosgiel. Water flows over the spillway when flows in the Silver Stream reach about 125 cubic metres per second (cumecs) with more significant overtopping starting at a flow of about 150 cumecs. The spillway has operated four times in the last 10 years, most recently in April 2014.

Properties on the Taieri Plain between the Silver Stream and Dukes Road are affected by overland flow from the Silver Stream when this occurs.

Mosgiel township is not expected to be affected by the high flows in the Silver Stream.

The Water of Leith and Lindsay Creek are also rising rapidly, and water from Lindsay Creek is flowing down part of North Road in North East Valley. Staff are monitoring the Water of Leith.

For more information go to www.water.orc.govt.nz, call the Flowphone on 0800 426 463 or you can receive flood alerts via Twitter. For more information, see the ORC Twitter Flood Alerts page on the ORC website.

Media enquiries contact

Gavin Palmer
Director engineering, hazards and science
ORC
Ph 03 474 0827 or 0800 474 082