A build-up of sand on the spit adjacent to the Whakatāne River mouth will be removed later this week, reducing the potential for upstream flooding issues during extreme rain events.

Whakatāne District Council Senior Commercial Operations Officer Mark Cleghorn says the work will begin on Wednesday, 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. “We expect this work to be finished by Friday, ahead of next week’s whitebait season opening.”

He says the Council is working with the Department of Conservation 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.