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Story: Floods

Planning for flood-prone areas

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Expected water level in a100-year flood River bed Golfcourse Parkland Houses on high ground Low-density building on regulated flood plains, flood-proofed against 100-year flood Open-space uses: low damage potential, easier passage of flood waters Flood plain

Areas likely to be flooded can be readily identified. With effective planning, buildings in flood-prone areas can be sited away from risk. This diagram shows how certain open-space activities can take place in high-risk areas, while building is restricted to areas that are unlikely to be flooded.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: N. J. Ericksen, Creating flood disasters? Wellington: Ministry of Works and Development, 1986, p. 103

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Floods – River monitoring and flood warnings, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/diagram/4910/planning-for-flood-prone-areas (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 February 2024.