NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 1923 Otago Flooding ( 1923-05-13 )
Abnormally heavy rainfall over Dunedin and Taieri Plains over two days resulted in flooding.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Abnormally heavy rainfall resulted in serious floods in Dunedin and Taieri Plains.
The rainfall had an average intensity of 0.5 in (1.27cm) per hour.
Heavy Rain
at
Middlemarch
Middlemarch recorded 1.19 in (3.0cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Musselburgh
Musselburgh recorded 0.7 in (1.8cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Musselburgh recorded 1.32 in (3.4cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whare Flat
Whare Flat recorded 1.95 in (5.0cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Whare Flat recorded 2.9 in (7.4cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Sullivans Dam
Sullivan's Dam recorded 1.25 in (3.2cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Sullivan's Dam recorded 3.19 in (8.1cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Dunedin
Rain fell on the 13th for five and a half hours and on the 8th for eight hours.
Flooding
The Leith was in high flood and caused serious damage to the paper mills at Woodhaugh.
The botanical gardens were inundated to a considerable depth.
The April flood brought down large quantities of boulders and shingle which lodged in channels. The restricted waterways caused overflow and serious flooding.
Harbour Terrace had a peak discharge of 4000 cusecs (113 cumecs).
Lindsay's Creek was in high flood.
Many people in the lower parts of the North East Valley and along the Leith had their houses flooded.
Damage to both road and rail communication was severe.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: the estimated cost for repairing culverts, bridges, walls, slips, washouts, scoured metal, and removing household debris totalled £20,000 ($1,736,000 2008 dollars). This included £7,670 ($665,900 2008 dollars) for cleaning out and clearing the bed and straightening the course as far as possible of the Water of Leith, and £1,385 ($120,200 2008 dollars) for similar work in Lindsay's Creek. The Drainage Board had an expenditure of £6,045 ($524,800 2008 dollars) in the Leith and £5,565 ($483,200 2008 dollars) in Lindsay's Creek.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The total cost of clearing and reconstruction work of the Leith and Lindsays Creek up to 31st March 1924 was £33,628 ($2,919,600 2008 dollars).
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The total quantity of material removed from the bed of the Leith was 43,000 cubic yards (33,000 cubic metres).
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: Bridges on the Leith Valley Road at Nicholl's Creek and Henderson's were demolished.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The foundations of the eastern pier of the bridge over the Leith at Harbour's was badly scoured.
Landslide
North of Dunedin extensive slips blocked the railway.
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
Taieri Plains were extensively flooded. Tairei River broke out through breaches in the stop banks and peaked at 59,000 cusecs (1671 cumecs) at Outram Gorge.
Taieri River had a peak level of 18 ft 8 in (5.7m) and a large area to the west of Tairei was inundated.
Flooding
at
Allanton
At Allanton, Taieri River had a peak level of 15 ft 6 in (4.7m).
Flooding
at
Otokia
At Otokia, Taieri River rose 9 ft (2.7m) and the highest peak river level was at West Tairei Bridge at 19 ft 8 in (6.0m).
Flooding
at
Waipori River
Waipori River rose 10 ft 6 in (3.2m) above normal at the Weir.
Flooding
at
Waitahuna
Flooding occurred in the Waitahuna township.
References
- Cowie, C.A; Attwood, A.K.(1957) FLOODS in NEW ZEALAND 1920 -53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand,239p.
- MacLean, M., McGregor Wilke, J., and Alexander, J.G. (n.d.) Water of Leith and Lindsay's Creek, Dunedin.
- Municipality of Dunedin. City of Dunedin (New Zealand), Departmental Reports For the Year 1922-1923.
- Municipality of Dunedin. City of Dunedin (New Zealand), Departmental Reports For the Year 1923-1924.
May 1923 Otago Flooding ( 1923-05-13 )
Abnormally heavy rainfall over Dunedin and Taieri Plains over two days resulted in flooding.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Abnormally heavy rainfall resulted in serious floods in Dunedin and Taieri Plains.
The rainfall had an average intensity of 0.5 in (1.27cm) per hour.
Heavy Rain
at
Middlemarch
Middlemarch recorded 1.19 in (3.0cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Musselburgh
Musselburgh recorded 0.7 in (1.8cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Musselburgh recorded 1.32 in (3.4cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Whare Flat
Whare Flat recorded 1.95 in (5.0cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Whare Flat recorded 2.9 in (7.4cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Sullivans Dam
Sullivan's Dam recorded 1.25 in (3.2cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 13th.
Sullivan's Dam recorded 3.19 in (8.1cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 8am on the 14th.
Heavy Rain
at
Dunedin
Rain fell on the 13th for five and a half hours and on the 8th for eight hours.
Flooding
The Leith was in high flood and caused serious damage to the paper mills at Woodhaugh.
The botanical gardens were inundated to a considerable depth.
The April flood brought down large quantities of boulders and shingle which lodged in channels. The restricted waterways caused overflow and serious flooding.
Harbour Terrace had a peak discharge of 4000 cusecs (113 cumecs).
Lindsay's Creek was in high flood.
Many people in the lower parts of the North East Valley and along the Leith had their houses flooded.
Damage to both road and rail communication was severe.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: the estimated cost for repairing culverts, bridges, walls, slips, washouts, scoured metal, and removing household debris totalled £20,000 ($1,736,000 2008 dollars). This included £7,670 ($665,900 2008 dollars) for cleaning out and clearing the bed and straightening the course as far as possible of the Water of Leith, and £1,385 ($120,200 2008 dollars) for similar work in Lindsay's Creek. The Drainage Board had an expenditure of £6,045 ($524,800 2008 dollars) in the Leith and £5,565 ($483,200 2008 dollars) in Lindsay's Creek.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The total cost of clearing and reconstruction work of the Leith and Lindsays Creek up to 31st March 1924 was £33,628 ($2,919,600 2008 dollars).
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The total quantity of material removed from the bed of the Leith was 43,000 cubic yards (33,000 cubic metres).
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: Bridges on the Leith Valley Road at Nicholl's Creek and Henderson's were demolished.
For the floods of April 1923 and May 1923: The foundations of the eastern pier of the bridge over the Leith at Harbour's was badly scoured.
Landslide
North of Dunedin extensive slips blocked the railway.
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
Taieri Plains were extensively flooded. Tairei River broke out through breaches in the stop banks and peaked at 59,000 cusecs (1671 cumecs) at Outram Gorge.
Taieri River had a peak level of 18 ft 8 in (5.7m) and a large area to the west of Tairei was inundated.
Flooding
at
Allanton
At Allanton, Taieri River had a peak level of 15 ft 6 in (4.7m).
Flooding
at
Otokia
At Otokia, Taieri River rose 9 ft (2.7m) and the highest peak river level was at West Tairei Bridge at 19 ft 8 in (6.0m).
Flooding
at
Waipori River
Waipori River rose 10 ft 6 in (3.2m) above normal at the Weir.
Flooding
at
Waitahuna
Flooding occurred in the Waitahuna township.
References
- Cowie, C.A; Attwood, A.K.(1957) FLOODS in NEW ZEALAND 1920 -53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand,239p.
- MacLean, M., McGregor Wilke, J., and Alexander, J.G. (n.d.) Water of Leith and Lindsay's Creek, Dunedin.
- Municipality of Dunedin. City of Dunedin (New Zealand), Departmental Reports For the Year 1922-1923.
- Municipality of Dunedin. City of Dunedin (New Zealand), Departmental Reports For the Year 1923-1924.