Livestock trampling and overgrazing stopbanks can cause significant damage and lessen protection against floodwaters.

Stopbanks are our primary defence against river flooding in many areas of our region. They protect people from floodwater and prevent property, land and infrastructure damage. The structural integrity of a stopbank is vital to its function.

Particularly during wet weather, we are urging farmers and landowners to keep stock off stopbanks, as damage to this flood protection infrastructure could compromise the entire community’s safety

“Our stopbanks play an essential role in keeping us safe, managing river flows and minimising flood risks to prevent widespread damage, distress and even loss of life,” Rivers Manager David Aires said.

We recognise things are tough out there right now with available feed supplies however, things are challenging enough without adding weather-related damage to the list.

“It’s important to remember, however, that stopbanks are not stockbanks and it’s crucial they can do the job they are designed to do.”

Stock access weakens stopbanks

Animals can make ruts in the stopbank, particularly when it’s wet, or reduce grass cover through overgrazing. This creates weak spots that allow water to enter the stopbank, which may lead to the complete failure of the asset.  

While we do permit some light grazing of sheep on stopbanks and adjacent land when conditions are suitable, we encourage landowners to keep their stopbanks free of all stock for the remainder of winter or when conditions are wet, and to let us know of any damage, so we can rectify. 

“We appreciate that most farmers and lifestyle block owners are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to protecting our stopbanks and are doing the right thing,” David said.  

“We want to ensure we get the message out to the few that are allowing this damage to occur so we can protect these vital community assets moving forward.  

What to do if you see damaged stopbanks

Stopbanks are one of the most important tools in Environment Canterbury’s flood protection toolkit, and we manage and maintain over 600 kilometres of them across the region.

No matter how well they are constructed and maintained, however, they are only as strong as the weakest link and vulnerable to damage from numerous sources. Landowners can be held responsible for damage and asked to pay for repairs under the Flood Protection and Drainage Bylaw.

“These stopbanks not only protect property and production worth billions of dollars but also ensure the safety of thousands of people,” David said.

If you see a damaged stopbank, please report it to us as soon as possible. You can call our customer advisory team on 0800 324 636 or email floodbylaw@ecan.govt.nz.

• Find more information on stopbanks and their role, including a downloadable stopbank guide
• Find the Flood Protection and Drainage Bylaw along with further information