As most people know, the regular deluges that the Kapiti Coast gets bring lots of not only wood, but also silt and shingle down the river. This in turn requires clearing in order to maintain the depth of the riverbed.
Comment from Glen McIntyre
This is the real Waikanae river. The Regional Council (and all those who oppose any action to mitigate further flooding risks) need to be taken to task over failure to manage this section of the river. This river was, not so long ago, clean, open, free flowing and a healthy safe place for all to enjoy. Today it is an eyesore, full of shingle and debris piled high at every turn and creating rapidly increasing risk of major flooding damage for all those who live in close proximity to the river. An appalling display of professional incompetence.
Waikanae Watch 
Glad for your interest Glen but the culprit is DoC! GWRC is responsible for river management and flood protection and worked for years to keep the river bed level at a safe depth.
Since the Resource Management Act came into play in 1991 DoC has repeatedly blocked GWRC efforts to continue selective dredging to prevent flooding on the grounds it wants “nature to take its course” (there is a clause in the RMA preventing disturbance to river beds)!
From an organisation supposedly committed to conservation this is crazy because the results are the accumulation of huge shingle banks and sedimentation, erosion of river banks, loss of marine habitat, and an increasing threat to property from flooding.
Just how bad things are can be seen from DoC’s own ranking of the ‘scientific reserve’ which covers the entire Waikanae estuary and lower river. Out of its 1,375 conservation assets around the country, the scientific reserve is a rock bottom 1,336 compared with the genuine environmental icon of Kapiti Island on 29.
DoC ignores public concerns
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