The Project
The Arowhenua Reserve Regeneration Plan is an iwi led initiative developed to restore the cultural, ecological and hydrological values of the Awarua Creek and surrounding wetlands within the Arowhenua Māori Reserve, located between the Temuka and Opihi Rivers.
The project responds to ongoing flooding issues, climate change impacts and ecological degradation, while creating a longterm vision for a resilient floodplain wetland landscape to uphold kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and ensure environmental stewardship.
Partnering with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and Boffa Miskell, WGA delivered specialist hydrological and wetland engineering expertise.
Technical Solutions
WGA participated in a site visit and wānanga (learning session), which involved detailed surveying of streams, channels, drainage, and culverts. This led to the development of conceptual civil engineering designs to mitigate existing flooding issues and establish a resilient hydraulic framework for ecological function.
Key elements of WGA’s technical scope included:
- Flood modelling and assessment of the Temuka, Opihi and Awarua catchments to characterise low-flow, average and peak flood conditions. This included a review of historic flooding behaviour and identification of key constraints and opportunities for flood mitigation within a highly dynamic floodplain environment.
- Wetland design input to support the development of conceptual wetland design options. This included advice on the appropriate sizing and siting of wetlands to increase water storage capacity, slow flood flows and improve overall flood resilience.
Additionally, WGA provided advice on addressing localised flooding issues, with particular focus on the Station Road culvert to improve overall water movement and flood attenuation across the reserve.
Client Focus
WGA played a key role in translating complex hydrological challenges into clear, practical and culturally responsive engineering solutions that align with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua’s longterm aspirations for the land.
Our Aotearoabased team contributed deep local knowledge of the catchment and floodplain dynamics, complemented by prior experience working with Arowhenua and regional water governance bodies.
This project showcases WGA’s ability to deliver a technically robust regeneration framework that is firmly embedded with the principles of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management in practice.
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