22 Aug 2023

Marlborough floods a year on; new report suggests human behavior a major cause

From Nine To Noon, 9:15 am on 22 August 2023
A series of public meetings will be held in Marlborough to help determine what is needed to bring the Sounds roads up to scratch.

A damaged road in the Marlborough Sounds Photo: Waka Kotahi / NZTA / Supplied

It's been a year since torrential rain caused devastating flooding in the Marlborough District resulting in a very scarred landscape, and disrupted lives and livelihoods.

The August 2022 weather event followed one in July the previous year  - which combined caused 8000 landslides.

Marlborough District Council environmental scientist Matt Oliver says the extensive damage is not all weather related and human behavior has been a major contributing factor to instability in the area -  including the clearing of native trees.

This was born out in recent research by GNS, commissioned by the Council.

The Council is consulting ratepayers over a proposed plan for fixing the broken Sounds transport network that will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Kathryn speaks with Council soil scientist Matt Oliver and Keneperu Sound farmer Emma Hopkinson.