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Kōrero: Canterbury region

Christchurch’s flood hazards

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Christchurch’s flood hazards

The settlement of Christchurch was built on the flood plain of the Waimakariri River. The earliest stopbanks were built in the 1860s. Despite these, Christchurch has sometimes been flooded when heavy rainfall in the mountains has caused the river to rise. This map shows what would happen in sequence if floodwaters breached the stopbanks.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

John Wilson, Canterbury region – Weather and climate, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/map/10305/christchurchs-flood-hazards (accessed 24 June 2026).

He kōrero nā John Wilson, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.