Hokitika Flood Protection

Increasing the height of the existing embankment along the Hokitika River.

Located on the banks of the Hokitika River, alongside a busy railway line and a well-used recreation area, are the flood protection works undertaken for the West Coast Regional Council. Consisting of multiple stages, this project involves raising the height of the existing embankment along the Hokitika River to protect the region from a 1-in-100-year flood event.

Our involvement began in 2021 following a severe flood, when the West Coast Regional Council engaged us for emergency works and the priority was to protect the Westland Milk Products Dairy Factory – one of the region’s largest employers – by raising the nearby stopbank. Since then, the project has involved further stages to raise other existing sections of the embankment and improve climate resilience, with expert coordination to minimise disruption to everything from the regionally significant dairy factory to walkers, cyclists and the whitebait fishing season.

• The project has involved significant earthworks, as well as modifying existing infrastructure and importing a large amount of quarried rock for armouring.
• We have assisted with all aspects including survey, geotechnical investigation and consenting.
• Collaboration with trusted contractors has enabled us to establish a network of monitoring bores to assess local geotechnical constraints, including long-term automated capture of groundwater data.
• Drone surveys and Pointcloud manipulation software allowed for accurate tracking of quantities, crucial for managing fast paced emergency work.
• Cloud-based filesharing enabled the direct upload of 3D design surfaces directly to machinery operators in CAD, allowing real-time coordination between design and construction.
• Stage 1 was completed under a tight timeframe as it was constructed as emergency works.
• We delivered efficiently and maintained a strong relationship with the client and project management team, which continues through the current project stages.
• The project’s success was supported by the consistent value placed on face-to-face meetings, and regular communication with everyone involved, and early stakeholder engagement.
• Over 30,000 tonnes of rock were moved from Camelback Quarry and placed on the riverbank.