This is an official message from Emergency Management Southland.
Farmers are encouraged to contact Environment Southland catchment staff if there are any concerns about their stopbanks.
Catchment staff were out today assessing floodbanks that have been highlighted and have had to prioritise some work for the Mataura banks and the Boundary Creek floodbank. The Mataura floodbanks have some seepage and work is being done boring holes and filling them with polymer, thus forming a wall in the middle of the bank, which both strengthens them and stops the flow of water.
Staff are looking at an upgrade for the Boundary Creek floodbank.
It is important that farmers let catchment staff at Environment Southland know if they are wanting to drain the ponding water from their paddocks through the floodbanks. The creating of a hole in the bank needs to be done in stages, not in one big chunk. This is being allowed because of the state of emergency and is not something that can happen regularly.
Environment Southland catchment staff must be on site when the hole is backfilled to ensure the work is correctly done.
The catchment team has been assessing known concerns so far and is starting tomorrow (Tuesday) a detailed assessment of all stopbanks in Southland.
The team is aware there have been some issues, for example in the Cattle Flat, Waikaia area, and so repairs will be prioritised as they are inspected.