Co-investment to improve flood resilience in the Waikato region

The Government has confirmed $9.372 million from central government’s tranche 2 allocation of the Regional Infrastructure Fund towards four projects to enhance the resilience of flood-prone areas in the Waikato region. 

The Government’s investment includes:

• $1.68m towards flood mitigation in the Coromandel Peninsula – erosion control and streambank stabilisation across multiple sites, increasing channel capacity by removing debris and blockages, removing high-risk trees, and putting in fencing and planting to protect completed works (total project cost $2.8m)
• $4.2m towards lower Piako River (right bank) stopbank stabilisation improvements – strengthening and raising the stopbanks, reshaping embankments and improving drainage infrastructure in a round Ngātea, Patetonga and Kerepehi (total project cost $7m)
• $2.502m towards Waikato, Waipā and West Coast flood mitigation – erosion control, bank stabilisation and sediment removal to improve waterway capacity and resilience of more than 30 rivers and streams (total project cost $4.17m)
• $990,000 towards early flood warning upgrades as part of a national project – improving flood telemetry at field sites in the Coromandel Peninsula, Hauraki and lower Waikato catchments (total Waikato project cost $1.65m). 

The projects are part of the council’s work programme, due to start this financial year.

“We welcome our productive relationship with Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit in delivering these projects, in recognition that they contribute to national economic growth, resilience and employment,” said Waikato Regional Council Chief Executive Chris McLay.

“As a regional council, we are best placed to deliver flood protection because we can do so at catchment scale, but we’re always looking for opportunities to improve the affordability of this service and to reduce that cost to ratepayers,” he said.

“These projects will help make our communities more resilient to the impacts of severe flooding when it happens, like what was experienced in the Waipā and Waitomo districts this week.

“And they also protect national capital such as critical roading networks connecting Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty, the main trunk rail line, utilities, schools, productive land and tourism assets.”

Altogether, the Government is investing close to $97 million into 32 flood resilience projects across New Zealand, helping to protect more than 30,000 homes and around 350,000 hectares of land.

This latest announcment follows tranche 1 of the Regional Infrastructure Fund, which allocated $101.1 million to 42 national projects in 2024.

Waikato Regional Council then received $12.5 million to accelerate six flood management infrastructure projects.

Flood protection in the Waikato region

• The replacement value of extensive flood protection infrastructure is $1.1 billion.
• 300,000 hectares of land is protected by our flood protection infrastructure.
• Our regional economy is boosted by $2.2 billion due to being able to use this land productively.
• Several key “golden triangle” transport corridors are more resilient because of our flood protection infrastructure, including State Highway 1, SH2, SH25, SH26, SH27 and the main trunk railway.
• The council estimates it will cost $2.9 billion over the next 50 years to operate, maintain and renew our flood protection infrastructure.