Horizons Regional Council to upgrade Moutoa Floodgates

The Moutoa Floodgates, which provide vital flood protection for communities in the lower reaches of the Manawatū River, are being upgraded.

Horizons group manager catchment operations Dr Jon Roygard says the upgrades are part of future-proofing and strengthening flood protection assets to keep communities safe and increase flood resilience.
 
“Construction of the floodgates was completed in 1962, meaning they are more than 60 years old. Naturally, parts of them have aged since then and require replacing or upgrading to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
 
“Recent routine inspections found evidence of aging in pulley systems and winches in some of the gates, requiring attention.
 
“These components allow the gates to be raised and lowered, and this aging has caused some to move slower than usual.
 
“There is no public risk with the current state of the gates. Rather, they have simply aged over time,” says Dr Roygard.
 
“These gates are a significant asset in our flood protection network. As such, we are working with contractors to ensure this work is carried out in a manner that reduces impacts to the operation of the gates.
 
“Replacement parts will be mostly fabricated offsite and installed in stages to help reduce impacts to gate operation.
 
“We anticipate up to two of the nine gates will be out of service at any one time while works are underway.”
 
Contractors will carry out most of the work in good weather where possible, says Dr Roygard.
 
“Due to the unpredictability and sometimes short notice of changing weather patterns, contingency plans are in place to further mitigate this risk.
 
“We are also finalising flood modelling to assess potential impacts of more severe flooding, and to determine necessary flood contingency plans.
 
“This modelling will be completed before any significant upgrade work begins that would put gates out of commission for an extended period of time,” says Dr Roygard.
 
Motorists travelling over the gates during the next 12 months may experience delays while upgrade work is underway.
 
Traffic management will be in place, with possible lane closures between 7am-5pm on weekdays.
 
The contract for the mechanical upgrades was recently awarded by Council for approximately $2.5 million, with 75 percent of that provided by central government’s Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit. The contract includes electrical upgrades currently underway at the site. 
 
To find out more about the Moutoa Floodgates, how they work, and the area they protect, watch Horizons’ video explainer at: https://www.horizons.govt.nz/flood-emergency-management/flood-protection/river-management-campaign