Thursday, 29 July 2021, 11:03 am
Flood flows on the Buller River this month were the
largest of any river in Aotearoa New Zealand in almost 100
years, NIWA measurements show.
NIWA hydrodynamics
scientist Richard Measures says records show even larger
flooding of the Buller River in 1926.
"It’s not the
largest river in New Zealand but it does experience the
biggest flood flows. The flood levels through the Buller
gorge are incredible" he said.
NIWA environmental
monitoring technician Mike O’Driscoll used a radar gun
from the Westport and Orowaiti bridges to measure the speed
of the Buller River at its surface on July 17.