New plans to boost flood resilience for local community
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council says a new plan for managing the Wairoa River Bar will improve resilience for the Wairoa community in flood events.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has launched a 3D water mapping project to better understand the region’s freshwater supply.
As part of the project, a helicopter towing airborne electromagnetic survey technology called SkyTEM is flying over the region’s aquifers for the next six weeks.
The technology is able to scan the aquifers down to 300 metres, further than what has been seen before.
The data provided by the survey will enable HBRC to build a 3D digital picture of the aquifers horizontally and to great depths, enabling a better understanding of groundwater resources.
IrrigationNZ has congratulated the HBRC and its partners on the launch: chief executive Elizabeth Soal says the project is a breakthrough.
“We urgently need more facts about what water we have and where,” says Soal.
![]() |
---|
IrrigationNZ chief executive Elizabeth Soal has praised the project. |
“This can inform a sensible water strategy to guide sustainable water management in New Zealand.
“We’re often seeing headlines about shortages in our dry regions which rely on water for their communities, their recreation, and their livelihoods.
“If this initiative by Hawkes Bay Regional Council is successful, we can repeat this elsewhere to get a nationwide water map to understand more about this critical resource. And then we can act on what we know.”
The project is a collaboration between the HBRC, the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) and GNS Science, using Danish SkyTEM technology that has been used extensively overseas.
The total cost for the project is $4.3 million. The PGF is contributing $2.15 million, the HBRC $1.85 million, and GNS Science $300,000.
Thus far in 2025, the Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter crew have completed over 220 missions, resulting in numerous positive patient outcomes.
The New Zealand Food Network's (NZFN) fifth birthday celebrations have been boosted by a whopping five tonne meat donation from meat processor ANZCO.
Pukekohe vegetable growers farewelled 101-year-old Alan Wilcox in late July, celebrating his many achievements and reflecting the widespread respect in which he was held.
A new nationwide survey shows New Zealanders expect farmers and food producers to play a leading role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but also gave them higher marks than most industries for their current efforts.
North Otago farmer Jane Smith is standing for the Ravensdown South Island director seat.
The Government and horticulture sector have unveiled a new roadmap with an aim to double horticulture farmgate returns by 2035.