History of the Upper Ruamahanga

Ever since human settlement began in the Wairarapa it is likely that there has been a need for people to protect themselves and their assets from the threat of flooding. This need would have grown greatly with increasing European settlement and more intensive land-uses which has meant that protection from the harmful effects of the river has become a necessity.

During the 1930s settlers suffered damage and loss when the Ruamahanga overflowed its banks, washing shingle onto valuable pastures. The bed of the river had become badly choked with willows, restricting flood flows, and the channel was inadequate and of irregular alignment.

A river control scheme was implemented in 1953 and during the next 20 years achieved success in bank edge protection, river alignment, and reduced the incidence of flooding along many sections of the river.

The Upper Ruamahanga River Control Scheme was established in 1982 and covers the length of the Ruamahanga River from Mount Bruce downstream to the Waiohine confluence.  The scheme was designed to protect an area of about 2760ha of rural land and a number of public utilities using stopbanks, heavy bank protection, vegetation buffer zones and the Te Ore Ore grade-control weir. Greater Wellington is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the scheme.