Carters Beach

Resilient Westport/West Coast Regional Council Carters Beach Frequently Asked Questions (July/August 2025)

Why is a stopbank being proposed for Carters Beach?

A stopbank for Carters Beach is being planned because, once new stopbanks are built around Westport, the flood risk for Carters Beach will be slightly higher during major flooding events.

The proposed stopbank at Upper Buller (up-river from the Bridge) will mitigate the flood risk to Westport township, but unfortunately, this increases the flood risk for Carters Beach on the opposite bank downstream.

The West Coast Regional Council is committed to reducing that risk as much as possible.

What level of protection will the stopbank provide?

The stopbank is designed to protect in up to a 1 in 100 year flood, or a 1% AEP.

Technically speaking, the design standard is at 1% AEP with climate change under RCP 6.0 (NIWA advice) and 300mm freeboard. A 1% AEP flood has a 1 in 100 chance of occurring in any given year.

Freeboard is an engineering provision for estimate accuracy and other factors not included (waves, aggradation, debris etc).

How high will the planned stopbank be?
We're still working through the final design, but it's likely that the height will range between 2.5 to 3.3 metres, depending on the location, with gently sloping sides. The width at the base will be around 20 to 24 metres.

What will the stopbank look like or be made from?

The stopbank will be an earthen structure approximately around 2.4kms long. As the Carters Beach stopbank is likely to be founded on sand, it may have to be designed slightly differently to other stopbanks to account for this. The results of the geotechnical investigations will be factored into the final design.

Will all the Carters Beach homes be protected from flooding from the Buller River?

Most households will be protected, but it is not possible to mitigate flood risk to five houses upstream of Carters Beach. A sixth can be bunded.

There is still a vulnerability for the community to coastal storm surge crossing the dunes.

What if there is a stopbank on or very near to my land?

If a stopbank is to be built on or near your land, we will have made contact to discuss details, impacts, and next steps.

We will ask for permission to go onto your property, firstly for geotechnical and environmental investigations. Our engineers need to understand the local ground conditions. This requires temporary investigations such as soil testing and shallow drilling. These investigations are short-term, low-impact, and do not involve any permanent changes.

Once there is a final design, a resource consent application will be made. Land access will be finalised.

You will be kept informed along the way and will be well aware before we start construction.

What are the other factors that have been considered in this work?

We have looked at a range of options to mitigate flood risk for Carters Beach. This has taken time and has been complex. The option that has been presented is considered optimal. It is the most cost-effective and protects as many properties as possible.

In getting to this point, we have modelled the impacts of increased river water from the Upper Buller stopbank on the SH67 Bridge. That has been assessed as small.

We have also looked at the implications of the stopbank on SH67A from Westport to Carters Beach to make sure transport links aren’t compromised. We have come up with possible mitigation options and had a positive response so far from NZTA Waka Kotahi.

Will the planned alignment change?

The alignment might change slightly as a result of engagement with landowners, however costs and the impact on the overall scheme are key considerations with any potential changes.

When will construction take place?

We estimate construction will take place between mid and late 2026 (subject to funding and consenting).

Who is paying for this work?

Overall, the flood mitigation side of the Resilient Westport project is funded via a contribution of $15.6m from central government (overseen by Department of Internal Affairs) and is being implemented by West Coast Regional Council (WCRC).

Once the government funds have been applied, the WCRC will pay a local share, the full extent of which is to be determined. WCRC has agreed to set aside $10.2m at this point.

Snodgrass Road and Carters Beach are not covered by the Resilient Westport government funding, so this work is likely to come from local share and pledged donations.

A group of local businesses have recently pledged over $2m towards flood mitigation works for Snodgrass Road in Westport and Carters Beach.

An Adaptation Relief Fund of $2m has been allowed for to assist homeowners still exposed to risk after the implementation of flood mitigation measures. The criteria is still being established and will be finalised once the scheme design has been finalised.

What happens next?

Carters Beach residents will be kept informed as the project moves forward. If you want to know more feel free to sign up for our newsletters.

Who can I contact if I have further questions?
You can email: info@resilientwestport.co.nz or call our engagement phone on 027 201 5810.

More information can be found on the Resilient Westport website: www.resilientwestport.co.nz