Waiho River in Westland shifts course years ahead of predictions, prompting urgent retreat plans

River experts appointed by the West Coast Regional Council have reported that the Waiho River is altering its course three to four years ahead of earlier forecasts, creating a serious threat to Franz Josef’s residents and infrastructure. The advisory panel, led by Professor Ian Fuller, highlighted that the accelerated shift involves not only water but also coarse gravel, increasing the risk of catastrophic damage. They called for immediate central-government funding to enable a managed retreat, which would entail releasing southern stopbanks, submerging farmland, moving State Highway 6, and closing the town’s wastewater ponds and aerodrome.

Mayor Helen Lash noted that recent investments in river protection could be undone and announced a multi-agency working group aiming to present a formal proposal to ministers early next year. Fuller stressed that landowners must be compensated and that pre-emptive action is essential to avoid disaster.