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HEAD OF LAKE WHAKATIPU

COMMUNITY UPDATE 30 | OCTOBER 2023

Kia ora koutou,

Here is our programme update for October, which includes an update about the recent weather event and a summary of the feedback we received from the community at our workshops in August.

For those who have just signed up to receive this newsletter, we have included a brief recap about why an adaptation strategy is needed for the Head of Lake Whakatipu area, and when we hope to be back to ask for your input into preferred adaptation pathways.

The social and economic impact assessment has kicked off, so look out for the consultant team out and about in the community over the next few months.

In this edition, we also have a new section called ‘Meet the Team’ where we introduce you to Jamie MacKenzie, our Natural Hazards Adaptation Specialist, and Tim van Woerden, our Senior Natural Hazards Analyst.

Update on the recent weather event

The heavy rainfall over 21-22 September caused elevated river and lake levels across Otago. In the Head of the Lake Whakatipu area, the Rees River reached its highest flow (235 cumecs) since the installation of the new flow recording station in December 2021. The Glenorchy Lagoon also reached its highest level (312.49 m) since monitoring of its levels began in October 2020.

We recognise there were some technical difficulties with the lagoon monitoring data at times, but these have now been rectified and should not occur again.

This heavy rainfall was another opportunity to further refine the performance of the recently developed flood forecasting model for the Glenorchy Lagoon. This model allows for early warning of potential high water levels or possible flooding into Glenorchy.

The ORC Flood Response team used the new model to estimate lagoon levels ahead of forecast rainfall, and the results helped inform our response to this weather event.

Our Engineering team carried out helicopter inspections of rivers around the region after the flooding event and some of their photos from the Glenorchy area, which they captured after taking flight around 12pm on Friday 22 September, are shown below.

If you took photos of the flooding during this event and are happy to share them with us, please send them to headofthelake@orc.govt.nz with your name, the location and date for image credits.

Why do we need an adaptation strategy for the Head of Lake Whakatipu?

ORC undertakes natural hazards investigations and various natural hazards adaptation programmes across the region, including the area at the Head of Lake Whakatipu.

This programme area, which includes Glenorchy, Kinloch, and the surrounding rural areas of the Dart and Rees Valleys, Paradise and Greenstone, is exposed to a complex range of flooding, slope-related and earthquake-triggered hazard events.

These natural hazards are relatively frequent and can be disruptive. Future climate and landscape changes will also increase the potential consequences. Managing these natural hazards presents a difficult challenge, but we need to adapt.

The Head of Lake Whakatipu natural hazards adaptation programme is developing a strategy to actively manage risks associated with natural hazards for this area. We are managing this programme in partnership with QLDC, mana whenua and the community.

Our aim is to complete the first version of a Natural Hazards Adaptation Strategy for this area by June 2024, as noted in our Long-term Plan.  

A Natural Hazards Adaptation Strategy will guide adaptation planning and inform decision making for the long-term future of this area. As part of developing the strategy, we need to bring together building blocks, including technical studies, community engagement, and risk and social impact assessments.

If you’d like to recap where we are at with this adaptation programme, please visit our website to see the reports and get answers.

What happens next?

Our next step is to develop a strategy based on possible adaptation pathways that meet agreed council, community, and mana whenua desired outcomes.

Once we’ve implemented this strategy, the community outcomes we’re developing (see the story below) will be used to help monitor the success of different adaptation responses and signal when it’s time to make a decision about adapting between pathways.

What we heard from you – updates from the community workshops

Here are some key things we heard from you at our last workshops held on Thursday, 31 August:

• We are a resilient community.

• Across the community, there is a lot of local knowledge about the natural environment.

• We need to ensure that, at a household, business, and community level, we are prepared for potential hazard events (i.e. an Alpine Fault event), including taking care of visitors and tourists.

• We are concerned about the impacts of the ORC hazard investigations on our property values, insurances, and businesses.

• We want to better understand what we can do at a property level to improve our resilience to various hazards and risks.

• We value nature-based solutions that have multiple benefits.

• Alternative transport links, such as wharfs, jetties and air, should be considered in adaptation planning.

• Generally, we prefer adaptation responses that address more frequent hazard events rather than large-scale adaptation responses that would drastically impact the character of the area.

• We want to discuss the details about what adaptation action is on the table now and in the future.

• The Head of Lake Whakatipu Adaptation Strategy needs to enhance the already high level of resilience of the community.

Thank you to everyone who responded to our online survey about draft community outcomes. We are currently analysing all the survey data alongside the feedback from the workshop sessions to update and ensure the outcome statements reflect your values. We will get back to you with an update in the next newsletter.

Image: High-level overview of adaptation pathways

When will we be back in the community?

We are busy bringing together the natural hazards science and your community feedback to turn the long list of possible adaptation actions, which we presented at our last workshop, into potential adaptation pathways.

We are intending to come back later in the year to ask for your input into preferred adaptation pathways for the long-term future of the area.

Social impact assessment update

The social impact assessment is now kicking off. We’d like to thank everyone who has indicated they would like to be involved, and let you know that the consultant team from Beca will be reaching out shortly. You may see this team out and about in the community over the next few months as they complete the assessment.

The Beca team will be taking a mixed methods approach for the assessment, including analysing reports and data, and talking with community members and stakeholders. We will invite the GCA to give feedback on Beca’s chosen research methods to make sure the team collects all relevant information in a way that works for the community.

Why are we undertaking a social impact assessment?

Social impacts refer to changes to the wellbeing of individuals and communities, which occur when human actions or natural events alter the way people live, work, play, and participate as a member of society. Social impacts be negative or positive. This information will help us inform our decision-making and adaptation pathways.

Image: The Glenorchy wharf

Meet the Team

Jamie MacKenzie – Natural Hazards Adaptation Specialist

Image: Jamie MacKenzie

Jamie recently completed her master’s degree in geography, researching storytelling and community engagement using the Head of Lake Whakatipu Natural Hazards Adaptation Programme as a case study.

She joined ORC in April as the Natural Hazards team’s resident social scientist.

Jamie’s role is to ensure that there is wide understanding and participation in the Head of Lake Whakatipu project, and she helps incorporate people’s values, beliefs and views alongside the hazards science as we build a plan to adapt for the long-term future of the area.  

Jamie’s favourite part of the job is talking with community members to learn more about the connections people have to the area and their ideas for the future of the Head of Lake Whakatipu.

Tim van Woerden – Senior Natural Hazards Adaptation Analyst

Image: Tim van Woerden

Tim has a background in geology and natural hazards and has completed a master’s degree with a research project focused on natural hazards in the Shotover Gorge area.

Tim has been with ORC for four years, and his role is to scope and manage our natural hazards and risk investigations for projects across the region.

Feel free to email Jamie or Tim via headofthelake@orc.govt.nz or say hello next time you see them out and about!

As always, we value your feedback

This adaptation programme was initiated because complex, increasing natural hazards in the Head of Lake Whakatipu require a comprehensive management response that takes a long-term view and encompasses all types of natural hazards.

This is your community, and we want to work with you to develop understanding and resilience. Check here to learn more about the whole programme.

If you have questions or need information, visit our website to see the reports and get answers.

You can also speak to a member of the ORC Natural Hazards team on 0800 474 082 or email us for more information at headofthelake@orc.govt.nz.

We will provide responses to any emailed questions and facilitate answers from our consultants if needed.

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Contacts

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with us, please email us at headofthelake@orc.govt.nz.