NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
August 1951 Hawke's Bay Flooding
(
1951-08-25
)
After two days of heavy rain there was a large area of farmland underwater and heavy stock losses.
Hawke's Bay
Heavy Rain
at
Hawke's Bay
Duration: 2 days - There was two days of widespread rain from the 25th to the 27th of August.
Flooding
Rivers and streams in Hawke's Bay rose unexpectedly to flood levels on the 26th following heavy rain.
1000 acres (405 ha) of pasture and cropping land was underwater on the 27th.
The rivers did not rise as much as in the July flood of 1950, but the flooding was much more general.
The areas most severely flooded were Meeanee, Pakowai, Ruapare, and Kereru. Severe flooding occurred in Karamu, Pakowhai and Ruapare when the water ponded behind the floodgates to the Ngaruroro River.
The flooding was caused partly by the flooding in the Ngaruroro River and partly by the flood level in the Karamu Stream.
Lamb losses throughout the province were heavy as a result of the persistant rain. Some of the heaviest lamb losses were reported from Otamauri and Puketapu districts.
Heavy Rain
at
Crownthorpe homestead
Crownthorne recorded 2.11 in (5.36 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Eskdale
Eskdale recorded 1.55 in (3.94 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
at
Fernhill
Ngaruroro River peaked at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) above normal at Fernhill on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Hastings
Hastings recorded 1.36 in (3.45 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
Ruahapia Road was under 2 ft (0.61 m) of water. Evenden Road near Pakowhai Road was submerged for a length of 250 yards.
The low level bridge spanning the Karamu Stream in Crosse's Road was under about 3 ft (0.91 m) of water.
Heavy Rain
at
Kereru
Kereru recorded 2.18 in (5.54 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Napier
Napier recorded 0.82 in (2.08 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Maraekakaho
Maraekakaho recorded 2.02 in (5.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Maraekakaho River
Maraekakaho River rose in high flood, washing away floodgates and spewing out over farmlands to wash away fences.
Heavy Rain
at
Maraetotara Lodge
Maraetotara recorded 3.47 in (8.81 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Otamauri
Otamauri recorded 2.57 in (6.53 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Pakowhai
Ngaroruru River rose 10 ft (3.05 m) above normal at Pakowhai.
Heavy Rain
at
Puketapu
Puketapu recorded 0.52 in (1.32 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Pukahu
The bridge at the southern end of St Georges Road in Pukahu was under 2-3 ft (0.61-0.91 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Redcliffe homestead
Tutaekuri River rose 6 ft (1.82 m) at Redcliffe.
Flooding
at
Runanga
Approaches to a new bridge at Runanga were washed away.
Heavy Rain
at
Sherenden
Sherenden recorded 2.52 in (6.40 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Tukituki River
Tukituki River rose 6 ft (1.82 m) at Black Bridge.
Heavy Rain
at
Tutira
Tutira recorded 4.66 in (11.84 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Undercliff homestead
Undercliff recorded 1.38 in (3.51 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waimarama
Waimarama recorded 1.09 in (2.77 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Waipawa
Waipawa River was in flood.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Week-end Flooding Of Heretaunga Plain Farmlands.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 27 August 1951.
August 1951 Hawke's Bay Flooding
(
1951-08-25
)
After two days of heavy rain there was a large area of farmland underwater and heavy stock losses.
Hawke's Bay
Heavy Rain
at
Hawke's Bay
Duration: 2 days - There was two days of widespread rain from the 25th to the 27th of August.
Flooding
Rivers and streams in Hawke's Bay rose unexpectedly to flood levels on the 26th following heavy rain.
1000 acres (405 ha) of pasture and cropping land was underwater on the 27th.
The rivers did not rise as much as in the July flood of 1950, but the flooding was much more general.
The areas most severely flooded were Meeanee, Pakowai, Ruapare, and Kereru. Severe flooding occurred in Karamu, Pakowhai and Ruapare when the water ponded behind the floodgates to the Ngaruroro River.
The flooding was caused partly by the flooding in the Ngaruroro River and partly by the flood level in the Karamu Stream.
Lamb losses throughout the province were heavy as a result of the persistant rain. Some of the heaviest lamb losses were reported from Otamauri and Puketapu districts.
Heavy Rain
at
Crownthorpe homestead
Crownthorne recorded 2.11 in (5.36 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Eskdale
Eskdale recorded 1.55 in (3.94 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
at
Fernhill
Ngaruroro River peaked at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) above normal at Fernhill on the 26th.
Heavy Rain
at
Hastings
Hastings recorded 1.36 in (3.45 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
Ruahapia Road was under 2 ft (0.61 m) of water. Evenden Road near Pakowhai Road was submerged for a length of 250 yards.
The low level bridge spanning the Karamu Stream in Crosse's Road was under about 3 ft (0.91 m) of water.
Heavy Rain
at
Kereru
Kereru recorded 2.18 in (5.54 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Napier
Napier recorded 0.82 in (2.08 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Maraekakaho
Maraekakaho recorded 2.02 in (5.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Maraekakaho River
Maraekakaho River rose in high flood, washing away floodgates and spewing out over farmlands to wash away fences.
Heavy Rain
at
Maraetotara Lodge
Maraetotara recorded 3.47 in (8.81 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Otamauri
Otamauri recorded 2.57 in (6.53 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Pakowhai
Ngaroruru River rose 10 ft (3.05 m) above normal at Pakowhai.
Heavy Rain
at
Puketapu
Puketapu recorded 0.52 in (1.32 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Pukahu
The bridge at the southern end of St Georges Road in Pukahu was under 2-3 ft (0.61-0.91 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Redcliffe homestead
Tutaekuri River rose 6 ft (1.82 m) at Redcliffe.
Flooding
at
Runanga
Approaches to a new bridge at Runanga were washed away.
Heavy Rain
at
Sherenden
Sherenden recorded 2.52 in (6.40 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Tukituki River
Tukituki River rose 6 ft (1.82 m) at Black Bridge.
Heavy Rain
at
Tutira
Tutira recorded 4.66 in (11.84 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Undercliff homestead
Undercliff recorded 1.38 in (3.51 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waimarama
Waimarama recorded 1.09 in (2.77 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending 9am on the 27th.
Flooding
at
Waipawa
Waipawa River was in flood.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Week-end Flooding Of Heretaunga Plain Farmlands.
- The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, 27 August 1951.