A concerned resident fears homes are at risk unless a cut is made in Kapiti’s Waikanae River mouth.
Helen Punton said the river mouth had moved south creating fluvial erosion which lowered the beach and impacted dunes at the northern end of Paraparaumu Beach.
She had lived in the area for over 20 years but since 2017 had been in contact with Greater Wellington Regional Council because she believed the erosion was getting worse. Her concerns had been heightened, especially over the last six months, as the erosion had “gone crazy”.
“I’m hoping there’s not a lot of high winds this winter.”
Punton had spoken to one of the house owners who she described as “devastated” by the dune erosion. She said the issue wasn’t about climate change as there was accretion “on the same beach around the corner”.
A cut would involve digging a channel through a beach or spit to realign the river channel.
North Paraparaumu Beach and Waikanae Beach are separated by the Waikanae Estuary which covers a fairly wide area. As this is a scientific reserve, it’s understandable that the GWRC isn’t keen on interfering with it. We’ll have a look ourselves next week. —Eds