Flood Protection & control works Whakamarumaru i ngā waipuke Environment Canterbury is the joint lead agency with territorial authorities for flood risk reduction. Under changes to the Local Government Act 2002 made in 2010, we now report our flood protection and control works activities as a separate group of activities from our other work on Natural Hazards (see page 49). There are three programmes of work in this group of activities. The Flood Protection & Control Works Programme deals with the management of flood protection infrastructure and general flood management. The Regional Parks programme used to sit within the Land group of activities but we have moved it, as shown, into the Flood Protection & Control Works portfolio because of its close alignment and level of contribution to the Flood Protection & Control Works programme. Council endowment land outside of rivers and berms, which is not required for flood control infrastructure, is leased which generates over $4m revenue towards the flood protection works noted within this programme area. The Dams programme of work authorises the safe and sustainable design and construction of dams and associated structures and monitors and enforces ongoing dam safety. Total expenditure in Flood Protection & Control Works $18.0 MILLION What s changed since the Long-Term Plan 2012-22? Work programmes for the Rangitata and Lower Waitaki have been revised to include flood damage repair works recommended by Liaison Committees. 38
Programme of work - Flood Protection & Control Works This programme of work aims to reduce the risks to people and property arising from river flooding. Many of Canterbury s communities are built on the floodplains of rivers rising in the Southern Alps and their foothills. Reducing flood risk requires a combination of measures, including land use planning, public education, river catchment engineering works, monitoring river levels and providing flood warnings. New rating districts may be established in consultation with local communities to address specific flood risks. Environment Canterbury, the Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, territorial authorities, infrastructure providers and other organisations also need accurate information about flood hazards and vulnerabilities so they can make informed decisions about risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery. We provide this information. Part of our work includes the management of gravel extraction from river beds. The demand for gravel for construction and roading exceeds supply in some parts of the region. Gravel extraction from rivers helps to maintain the flood capacity of those rivers, but it can also compromise the integrity of infrastructure such as bridges and stopbanks if not managed properly. Gravel extraction is currently managed through land use resource consents. Once the Land & Water Regional Plan is adopted, Council will be able to issue written authorisations for gravel extraction through the new Canterbury River Gravel Management Strategy. Flood protection work is linked to our work in implementing the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. What we will do: Flood alerts will be issued and staff will be rostered at all times to manage flood events. Capital works programmes to provide increased levels of flood protection will be continued for the Waimakariri River, the Ashley River and will start for Washdyke Creek. Infrastructure condition and performance reports will be presented to liaison committees. High quality hazard advice will be made available to the public via Environment Canterbury s website. Data on gravel management will be collected. A gravel management strategy will be implemented and reports will be made available to liaison committees. Asset management plans will be updated. Leases and licences over Council land will be administered. Opportunities to improve lease revenue will be sought. Indigenous biodiversity will be protected and enhanced. Asset Management Planning Asset management planning is a key function of this programme and is one that guides the bulk of the flood protection and control works undertaken each year. The primary focus of each Asset Management Plan for Environment Canterbury is to set out the minimum levels of service to be maintained. Due to the nature of flood protection assets, they are vulnerable to flood damage and repair costs can have significant effects on the maintenance budget for the affected rating district(s). The emergency reserves, and a Council loan, can be used to help smooth out increased funding requirements. The level of service, asset condition, emergency reserves, and funding programme are discussed annually with liaison committees. Advice from the committees goes towards guiding the Hazards group of activities to achieve the rating districts committees outcomes, as well as guiding the work done in that group of activities. When communities desire an increased level of service, capital works programmes are set up to construct and fund the relevant works. An example of an existing capital works programme is the Waimakariri Flood Protection Project, which is being constructed over a 10 year period and funded over 25 years. ISSUES/UNCERTAINTIES FOR THIS PROGRAMME OF WORK: The amount of funding required to repair flood and erosion control works damaged by major flood events is uncertain. However the costs of immediate works during flood events will be met from catchment rating district reserves and, if required, from other funding arrangements that Environment Canterbury has put in place. The amount of maintenance work required to maintain design capacity in any one year is uncertain, due to the dynamic nature of river systems. Forecast levels of maintenance expenditure are based on historical levels of damage. As with previous years, no budget provision has been made for repairing significant flood damage. 39
Programme of work - Regional Parks This programme of work used to sit within the Land group of activities, but it is now included in Flood Protection. This programme of work provides the community with open space leisure and recreational opportunities on Council owned land and a ranger service for Northern Pegasus Bay. The Regional Parks programme has strong links with, and supports the flood protection and control works programme and the biodiversity programme. Protection of flood protection infrastructure and biodiversity, whilst providing recreational opportunities, make up the integrated nature of this programme. We also work with our partners, Hurunui and Waimakariri District Councils, to manage and protect the beaches and coastal dunes of Northern Pegasus Bay. Our work includes development and maintenance of cycle and walking tracks, picnic areas, and the protection and enhancement of natural values (including biodiversity, freshwater and landscape). Work in this programme will help to meet CWMS recreational and amenity opportunity and biodiversity targets. What we will do: We will continue to promote our Regional Parks and Northern Pegasus Bay as places for recreation in Canterbury. We will continue to operate and develop the Waimakariri River, Tekapo and Ashley/ Rakahuri Regional Parks and provide a ranger service for Northern Pegasus Bay. ISSUES/UNCERTAINTIES FOR THIS PROGRAMME OF WORK: Environment Canterbury holds extensive areas of reserve and endowment land associated with its flood and erosion protection work. There is increasing demand for outdoor recreation and leisure opportunities, particularly biking and walking. Visitors to our regional parks have increasing expectations of services and maintenance as well as development of new tracks and access-ways. Region-wide risks to regional parks include wind, fires and floods and resulting possible consequences of vegetation and productive forest loss, restricted recreation access, losses of natural character, and possible risks to park users. The wind storm in early 2013 was such an event. It was the most damaging storm in Canterbury since 1975 and resulted in several thousand hectares of forest across the region, being destroyed. The damage in the Waimakariri and Ashley Rakahuri Regional Parks was severe, resulting in the temporary closure of McLeans Forest. Work is continuing to reopen this area and restore the recreation values which existed before the storm. This work will be a priority for 2014/15. Programme of work - Dams This programme of work contributes to reducing the risks to people and property arising from dams. The construction and maintenance of dams is regulated by the Building Act 2004, under which Environment Canterbury has a Regional Authority function (sections 13 & 14). Our job is to authorise the safe and sustainable design and construction of dams and associated structures and to monitor and enforce ongoing dam safety. We regulate dangerous dams, earthquake-prone and flood-prone dams, and ensure the safety of dams in the region (this function is general rate funded). We maintain an up-to-date register of dams in the region, and a Dangerous Dams Policy. As a Building Consent Authority and as a Regional Authority we issue Project Information Memoranda (PIM). We must ensure that Dam Safety Assurance Programmes are received for each dam in the region that is classified as a medium or high potential impact and Potential Impact Classifications (PICs) for all large dams. Specifically, as a Building Consent Authority we also: process building consents for dams. co-ordinate compliance monitoring for building consents for dams. issue code compliance certificates, certificates of acceptance and notices to fix. What we will do: The Dams programme of work has an ongoing commitment to maintain adequate information and provide support for dam owners. We will work as follows: Maintain adequate information and support for dam owners, including meeting the Building Act requirements of a Building Consent Authority, maintain an up-to-date Dams Register and provide a dam advisory service. ISSUES/UNCERTAINTIES FOR THIS PROGRAMME OF WORK: During the recent dam register aerial photography project, about 50 dams in the trial area (Waimakariri District 2200 km 2 ) were identified as possible large dams, whereas before the project around 5-10 were estimated. Extrapolating from this trial area, there are likely to be about 750 possible large dams, but this number may be reduced once the data is reviewed and some 'ground-truthing' is carried out. All areas previously loaded with GIS data have been reviewed. A large section of mid/south Canterbury has just had new GIS data loaded and is currently being reviewed. The lack of information about unknown/unconsented dam owners results in a high risk of not meeting the Dam Safety Regulations or Building Code, because they currently have no recorded consent against the title (for dams post 1992); the consequence of a failure is unknown and this is a risk that is acknowledged as a potential liability for Environment Canterbury. 40
Levels of service Level of service 1: Providing information during floods Levels of service describe the services you will receive from the Council. Measures show you how we will measure and report on our progress in our Annual Report. Targets define what we plan to achieve in 2014/15. Measures and Targets - Flood Protection & control works Measure 1: The provision of flood prediction information and river flood warnings to key agencies when agreed trigger levels are exceeded. Measure 2: The real-time flood prediction system provides accurate region-wide warnings in accordance with established flood protocols. Target 1: Police, Civil Defence Management, radio stations and Territorial Authorities will receive flood warnings in accordance with established flood protocols. Target 2: Our Flood Warning Protocols will be reviewed after each significant flood event. Measure 3: The percentage of time that up-to-date river level and flood information is available on Environment Canterbury s website and River Report info line. Target 3: Information is available at all times through providing on-site assessment of river flows with direct links to Environment Canterbury website. Level of service 2: Reducing flood risk Measure 1: River and drainage schemes perform as designed during flood events. Target 1: Engineering staff undertake immediate site assessments of specific locations following hazard events (earthquake/flood/fire). Measure 2: Flood Protection infrastructure is maintained against agreed levels of service in consultation with River Rating District Committees. Target 2: Construction of flood protection infrastructure will be completed in accordance with Capital Expenditure Programme. Level of service 3: Sustainably manage the extraction of gravel for flood management and erosion purposes Measure 1: Sustainably manage the extraction of gravel for flood management and erosion purposes. Target 1: Extraction of gravel from rivers does not exceed Minimum Bed Level limits. 41
Level of service 4: Providing open space leisure and recreation opportunities on council-owned land Measure 1: Visitors rating of the quality of their experience in visiting McLeans Forest, in the Waimakariri River Regional Park. Target 1: 80% of visitors surveyed are satisfied or very satisfied (on a scale of very dissatisfied, dissatisfied, satisfied and very satisfied). Changes to Levels of Service from the Long-Term Plan. Levels of service around Regional Parks have been added here, moved from the Land portfolio. This reflects minor rewiring of our internal processes. Measure 2: Families rating of the suitability of the McLeans Forest mountain bike track for family riding. Measure 3: Restoration projects on wetland and lowland forest. Measure 4: Management of Council ground lease and licences reflects best practice. Measure 5: Management of Environment Canterbury lands demonstrates environmental best practice. Target 2: 80% of families using the track are satisfied or very satisfied (on a scale of very dissatisfied, dissatisfied, satisfied and very satisfied). Target 3: Restoration management will be applied to 170 ha of wetland and lowland regenerating forest. Target 4: 95% of leases monitored comply with lease terms and conditions. Target 1: Stock are excluded from natural waterways on leased land. Target 2: Indigenous plant communities are protected and enhanced. Level of service 5: The safe and sustainable design and construction of dams and associated structures Measure 1: Processing of building consents for dams. Measure 2: Dam owners register their dams with Environment Canterbury within 3 months from commencement of the Dam Safety Regulations 1 July 2014. Measure 3: Dams classified as medium or high potential impact have a registered dam safety assurance programme. Measure 4: Registering large dams that require a Potential Impact Classification (PIC) and Dam Safety Assurance Programmes (DSAP) into the RMA Database. Target 1: 100% of consents processed within 20 working days (as per Building Act 2004 requirements). Target 2: 100% compliance. Target 3: 100% of high or medium potential impact dams have registered a dam safety assurance programme. Target 4: 100% of registrations are done within 5 working days from consent being issued or upon receipt of new information about existing dams. 42
Financial summary Asset management and capital expenditure Refer to Appendix 3 on pages 127 for a summary of proposed asset additions involved in the delivery of Environment Canterbury s groups of activities. The appendix describes the assets to be purchased, the funding and the planned capacity changes, renewals, replacements and maintenance. How this work is funded For more information on how we fund our activities and the rationale for their selection see the Funding and Financial Policies in Part B of the Long-Term Plan 2012-22. Funding impact statement The funding impact statement in relation to this activity is recorded in Appendix 2 on page 119. This summarises the sources of funding to be used, the amount of funds expected to be produced and how the funds are to be applied. FINANCIAL CHANGES SINCE THE 2012-22 LONG-TERM PLAN Expenditure relating to property development on reserve land has increased, reflecting our contribution to the roads of national significance programme. In addition, projects previously allocated to the Flood Protection group of activities have now been reclassified as Hazard works, comparative imformation has not been restated. No significant impact on levels of service Financial projection ($000 s) for Flood protection & control works Annual Report Annual Plan Long-Term Plan Annual Plan 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 (Y3) 2014/15 General rates 3,046 2,023 3,351 2,153 Targeted rates 7,411 8,861 8,144 9,384 Grants 519 377 346 347 User Pays/Other 5,970 5,241 5,885 5,398 Total Income 16,946 16,502 17,726 17,283 Operating Expenditure 13,782 17,136 14,065 18,010 Operating Surplus / (Deficit) taken to reserves 3,164 (634) 3,662 (727) 43