A build-up of sand on the spit on the western side of the Whakatāne River mouth will be removed to reduce the potential for upstream flooding issues during extreme rain events.

Whakatāne District Council Manager - Capital Projects, Jim Finlay, says the work will undertaken tomorrow (8 March), at the direction of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, to comply with the Flood Management Plan for the river.

“Our resource consent for the western spit wall requires that the height of the sand be managed so that flood flows can break through that area, reducing the risk of flooding in built-up areas,” he says.

Mr Finlay says the Council has advised the Department of Conservation, and every effort will be made to ensure that shorebird nesting habitats are protected. Earthmoving equipment will also be kept well away from the high tide mark to ensure that there’s no possibility of sand being pushed into the river and deposited on the bar at the harbour entrance.