The Land Drainage Recovery Programme (LDRP).

Christchurch's land drainage issues post-earthquakes are hugely challenging due to the changes caused by land subsidence and damage to waterways, land and land drainage infrastructure. Understanding the city's flood risk is complex, with multifaceted solutions needed to restore risk to pre-earthquake conditions. We need to do thorough investigations to understand the risk, prioritise those most at risk, and develop sensible area-wide solutions that offer the most benefit, to the most people.

We are fast tracking flood risk investigations and mitigation works, with a big commitment of funding and resource, but it will take many years to implement the flood mitigation works.

The LDRP aims to deliver projects to:

  • mitigate the effects of the earthquakes on flood risk in the city’s most affected areas by restoring flood risk to pre-earthquake levels 
  • repair damage to waterways and land drainage infrastructure 
  • help restore community resiliency and wellbeing by reducing the risk from flooding
  • improve the non-drainage values of our waterways through sensitive design of remediation works.

Projects can include:

  • drains
  • retention basins
  • pump stations
  • stormwater pipe upgrades.

How projects are prioritised

When considering a project, the LDRP team uses guiding principles to establish whether a response is appropriate or needed. These principles focus on each proposed project:

  • demonstrating earthquake effect
  • achieving significant social benefit
  • achieving long-term, sustainable benefits that fit with the Council’s six-values approach (see table below) to managing waterways, wetlands and drainage.
    Values Description
    Ecology The self-sustaining processes and inter-relationships among plant, animal and insects
    Landscape Includes the special character of sites and places, their aesthetic qualities, and their meaning to the community
    Recreation Includes active and passive recreation, play, and the structures that support these activities
    Heritage Includes sites and activities of historic significance (structures, remains, etc) and natural significance (remnants, landforms, etc)
    Culture The community's perception of a resource and its value, indicated by community involvement in management, celebration of past events, and planning for the future
    Drainage Includes inter-relationships between groundwater and surface water, natural flow regimes, and management of storm events

The process

Once a project is included in the LDRP it follows a process that takes it from early investigations through to options design (a closer look at possible options, including preliminary designs), public consultation and, if approved, detailed designs and construction.

Not every project considered moves from early investigation through to options design. For some projects, investigations may reveal repair or remediation is needed, but adaptation and careful management may be a better option.

Find out about projects happening in your area.