Last week 38 students from our Level 2 Geography classes departed Nayland for the source of the Kawatiri (Buller) River at Lake Rotoiti.
On a crisp winter morning last week 38 students from our Level 2 Geography classes departed Nayland for the source of the Kawatiri (Buller) River at Lake Rotoiti. Our task was to investigate how the river changed as it made its way towards the sea. This mighty river has seen some of the largest floodwater flows ever seen in New Zealand, including recently when it caused severe flooding in the township of Westport.
The following day our classes were warmly welcomed by the Mayor and Lead Planner into the council chambers to discuss how the township can mitigate the flood risks on residents and their properties, as well as plan for future events of similar or larger magnitude. A range of options were discussed and the scale and complexity of the issue became clear to our students.
We had further talks from other residents who had been impacted by flooding and had differing viewpoints to the Council’s, particularly around the zoning and future risks that had been identified. We also found some time to experience the Westcoast’s scenic environment with students surfing and sightseeing in Punakaiki. A big thanks to all the speakers and University of Canterbury for assisting with our trip. And a huge thanks to NBS, Fitzgerald Construction and Bowater Toyota for supplying courtesy vans.
By Nick Prebble
