Impact of the Kaikoura Earthquake on the Water Resources in the Flaxbourne and Waima (Ure) Catchments

The Flaxbourne Settlers Association with the support of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) undertook a range of monitoring and analysis to assess the impact of the Kaikoura Earthquake (14 November 2016) on the water resources in the Flaxbourne and Waima (Ure) catchments.

Marlborough Research Centre contracted with MPI on behalf of the Flaxbourne Settlers Association and managed the contract deliverables and reporting over the period of the contract (November 2017 to June 2021).

The Flaxbourne Settlers Association appointed a governance group of John Hickman (Chair), Locky Taylor and Jim Rudd. These were joined by Gerald Hope (CEO MRC) and Val Wadsworth (Marlborough District Council-Environmental Scientist-Hydrology).

Dr Jack McConchie (Technical Principal-Hydrology & Geomorphology at WSP) provided significant support and technical advice to the project.

John Patterson, Associate Marlborough Research Centre provided the Project Management.

An overview of the project, the work carried out, reports produced, outcomes and proposed next steps are attached below:

Reports produced from the project and presentation are as follows:

• Overview Water Resources Impacts Contract MPI

• Water Resource Impact Survey

• Flaxbourne Community Presentation 2018

• Terrain Analysis - Summary Report

• Low-flow Regimes

• Ward Community Water Supply

• Needles Creek Monitoring Well Report

• Turbidity Monitoring of the Flaxbourne River

• Flaxbourne Flood Hazard Report

• Practical Uses of LiDAR

• Lake Elterwater Report

• Low-flow Gaugings

• Kaikoura EQ Regulatory Response

• Practical Use of LIDAR

• Geophysical Investigation Summary Report

• Project Summary Report