Stormwater management in Northcote

Northcote has long suffered from stormwater flooding due to the local Awataha Stream, and being in the middle of an overland flow path.  

To address these flooding problems, as well as reconnect local communities with their awa using green infrastructure, Eke Panuku has been working with Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters team, Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities, Kaipātiki Local Board and mana whenua to put water sensitive design principles into practice and create Te Ara Awataha – Northcote’s new greenway. 

Two significant projects include the daylighting of the Awataha Stream and the transformation of Greenslade Reserve into a stormwater detention park (holding stormwater temporarily and releasing it slowly), with a planted urban wetland. Both projects were put the ultimate test with the floods on Anniversary Weekend in 2023 and both helped reduce the impact on people and property.  

During the deluge, water overflowed into the street network, but the detention of 12 million litres of water on Greenslade Reserve meant that flooding downstream was predominantly within the street network and damage to property was minimal compared to previous (lesser) events.  

Bringing the Awataha Stream to the surface allowed flood water to be channelled along the stream bed, rather than through private property, with the open channel providing much greater capacity than the older piped network.  

“In this instance, it had the added benefit of keeping the parts of the older pipe in place, diverting a portion of the higher flood flows back into the pipe to provide even more flood capacity.” says Scott Speed, the Waterways Planning Manager at Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters. 

When not in flood, the returned stream bed will improve water quality and create habitat for manu (birds), ngāngara (insects) and tuna (eels) once more, and the Greenslade Reserve provides a top-class sports field and recreational facility.