Ruamahanga in spotlight

River scientist Will Conley will visit Wairarapa next week to discuss the dynamics of the Ruamahanga catchment.

Conley said, “Flooding is New Zealand’s number one hazard. The vast majority of homes and other buildings in Wairarapa sit on ground created by flowing water. Rivers built the land that we inhabit. Trying to isolate our landscape from the processes that created it has limits, and when those limits are exceeded the consequences can be severe.”

He said local bodies typically manage rivers to minimise the area under water and to limit erosion.

“But some traditional interventions can amplify unwanted effects or even be totally ineffective,” he said. “Interventions rarely accommodate natural processes. Instead, they try to dictate rivers’ behaviour.”

Fortunately, there is growing awareness of the need to engage fluvial geomorphologists like Conley in core roles and design processes.

Conley has worked with rivers on several continents for nearly 30 years. He developed and led an indigenous river management programme to restore the ecology of the Klickitat River catchment in Washington State, finding ways to restore riverine processes, habitat for native species and infrastructure resilience.

“I’m as comfortable driving a digger as I am writing computer code,” he said.

With research and design experience in private, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and more than 6500 kilometres of river navigation, he claims an intuitive understanding of river behaviour. He has also put in nearly 20 years as a rural firefighter and emergency manager.

“Plants and animals need functional rivers and floodplains,” said Conley. “Flood protection works affect the amount and quality of their habitat, directly impacting their existence.”

Conley’s research in the Ruamahanga catchment has helped to improve data quality, has shown how rivers will likely respond to earthquakes, and has documented increased river movement caused by humans.

“My talk will explain how water moves, and what we can and can’t control. I’ll show how we can adapt our attitudes and practices to reduce hazards, improve ecology, and increase resilience. Examples from the Ruamahanga catchment will help us to understand and visualise how it changes through space and time, showing Wairarapa in a new light,” he said.

Will Conley will present his talk to a meeting of Science Wairarapa at 7.30pm on Tuesday, March 21, at the Education Centre, 22 Dixon St. Masterton.

All are welcome; a door charge of $5 will apply. • Science Wairarapa is supported by Wairarapa REAP.

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