River repairs will cost millions

Last updated 16:17 31/03/2011

 

Damage to the Waimakariri and Kaiapoi Rivers after the February quake will amount to about $2m.

Environment Canterbury's principal river engineer Ian Heslop said that amount was on top of an estimated $3m in repairs following the September shake. 

Ecan team aimed to complete the work by June.

Repairs to the Halswell River after the February quake were estimated to cost $60,000 and would entail restoration of normal river flows and drainage.

Ecan had already agreed to a three-year restoration programme to dredge and widen the river, remove trees and stabilisation the river bank, which would cost about $3m.

Ecan was continuing to monitor catchment rainfalls and river flows, he said.

Meanwhile, Ecan has deferred the introduction of navigation safety bylaws, which were to come into force tomorrow, to June due to delays caused by the February quake.

The new navigation safety bylaws aim to ensure public safety on the region's lakes, rivers, harbours and coastal waterways.