The Great Flood of 2010

As most of you know, South Canterbury and Otago was hit by torrential rain last week. It just poured down for 5 days straight which lead to a lot of flooding, closed roads and a wife that couldn't take much more... You stay inside with a 2 year old for 5 days and see how you go!
Yesterday, the rain stopped and after a quick check on the net to see what roads were open, we headed out. Me to see the flooding, wife to see something other than 4 walls and the little one was just stoked with the lollies we gave him.
While the water levels don't look to bad in these shots, the rain had stopped about 12 hours before and water levels had dropped considerably.


Shag River at Bushey. 30/5/10.

Just out of town we stopped at Bushey to have a look at the Shag river. Normally a nice clear slow flowing river, there was a power of water coming down. On the northern bank was a mass build up of fallen trees up against the bridge. Ontrack had spent a lot of time and effort on this bridge over the last month. Hopefully their work hasn't been damaged or set back.


Big Kuri. 30/5/10.

Big Kuri. 30/5/10.

Big Kuri is a rocky little creek near the coastal village of Hampden. During the summer about a metre to a metre and a half below the bridges was cleared of gravel. Even with a deeper channel, the water was too much. SH1 was closed here after water went over the top of the Big Kuri road bridge.

Kakanui River at Maheno. 30/5/10.

Further north, we crossed the Kakanui river at Maheno, one of the main rivers off the Kakanui Ranges. Like the others, it was well up on its normal level but had dropped considerably by the time we passed through.

On the way home, we saw a digger clearing a slip at the old Shag Point station but because of its location couldn't get a shot.

I haven't heard any trains going through Palmerston for the last few days. Hopefully the hard working folks at Ontrack will have the line sorted and Kiwi Rail can get back to doing what it does best, moving freight.