Publication

Public perceptions of risk from the Waimakariri River

Date
1990-05
Type
Other
Fields of Research
Abstract
This information paper is the result of a request from staff of the North Canterbury Catchment Board and Regional Water Board for research that would enable them to incorporate public opinion in the Waimakariri Floodplain Management Plan. The Plan formulates policy for the mitigation of potential flood losses arising from the flood hazard posed by the Waimakariri River. Emphasis in the past has been on structural measures for modifying flooding such as stop banks and river channel alteration. Until recently such catchment works were funded by central government. Now regional authorities must adopt a 'user-pays' philosophy and invoke a more substantial charge against beneficiaries of catchment works than they did in the past. In order to seek commitment to and understanding of flood mitigation policy amongst beneficiaries - residents of the Waimakariri floodplain - the Board wished to identify ways of incorporating public opinion into the Management Plan. Staff of the Board were also interested in assessing the public's perception of the risk it faces from flooding of the Waimakariri River, measures used to mitigate flood losses, willingness to pay for a stopbank option, knowledge of civil defence procedures, etc. The author of this report accepted a contract in August 1988 to provide some information on these issues.
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