Web location:  www.RiversHB.NZ/karamu/karamu streameb location..   Web location..  

Karamu Stream

Catchment 490 km2

SUMMARY.

1960's  Pukahu to Pakipaki was flooded 4 times.

1972 The HB Catchment Board cleared the trees in the Karamu Stream

Since 1972 the area Pukahu to Pakipaki has not flooded.

During the last 10 years trees have been planted on the berm flow areas of the Karamu stream.

At the outflow into the Clive River the river stop-banks and berm flow have been planted.

Once grown, the 53m wide flood capacity will be reduced to 17m.

Please consider that returning to the pre 1972 situation of flooding is likely, as above. 

If flooding concern you, then it would be good to see the berm planting policy be dropped.

DETAILS

The Karamu stream is 'marked in blue' to show the importance to Hastings and surrounds. It can be seen how the Karamu Sream is vitaly important for carrying flood-water away from the west, south, east and part of the north of Hastings and the hugely fertile Heretaunga Plains cropping area.

Pakipaki to Pukahu flooded often until 1972  (4 times in the 1960's).

In 1938 a boat could be rowed over the flood from Pukahu to Pakipaki, and from living memory 4 times in the 1960's, until the Karamu stream had the willows and other vegetation removed in 1972 to provide a clear path for the water to flow down the stream.

The Karamu is becoming moreso overgrown with trees and other vegetation restricting the flow on the river berms, soon to pose a serious risk to the permanent crops planted in the upstream area and to houses and settlements.

Further restrictions in the Karamu stream will re-create the Pukahu flood area, which stretches through from Pukahu to Pakipaki.   

 Karamu Stream by Dog Park roundabout, at the outlet end of  the Karamu stream.

Clear flow (active and berm flow) between stop banks was 53meters, with plantings the clear flow width is now 17m. Reduced to 32% of the design. It is now clearly not good enough to keep flooding managed.    

Even the berm-flow area has been planted in trees, see the photos below.

At the outlet the Karamu stream bed has been narrowed down to 9.25m, with a stop bank width of 26m.

How will we keep our expensive crops and settlements flood free when 490 km2 of excess water is expected to fit though that reduced gap ? 

What hope is there it will carry the flood waters in future ?

Please click to see the photo Crosses Rd bridge area. Beautiful plantings, but will it carry the water to protect our orchards and farmland ? Every year the plantings get 1m higher and stronger.

If people were aware of the return of this potential flooding, maybe they would not be so interested in planting the berm flow areas.

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