NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
October 1983 Marlborough and Tasman-Nelson Flooding ( 1983-10-21 )
Severe flooding and slips closed roads and Civil Defence emergencies were declared for both Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - Heavy rain caused flooding in Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough from the 21st to the 23rd of October.
The insurance claims for October and July events in 1983 in Golden Bay and Marlborough were $7,090,000 (1991 dollars).
Tasman-Nelson
Flooding
at
Tasman-Nelson
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared at 5:37pm on the 21st until 8:24am on the 22nd.
Agricultural assistance was $160,000 (1991 dollars).
Heavy Rain
at
Bainham
Bainham recorded 211.7 mm (21.07 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8:00am on the 21st.
Heavy Rain
at
Cobb Dam
Cobb Dam recorded 66.9 mm (6.69 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Heavy Rain
at
Cobb Powerhouse
Cobb Power House recorded 60.1 mm (6.01 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Collingwood
The road from Takaka to Collingwood was blocked at Waitapu, the Collingwood-Bainham road was blocked at Brewers Creek, Collingwood-Pukarau road was impassable at Ferntown.
Flooding
at
Kotinga
Kotinga was the worst hit area with both the Takaka and Waingaro rivers flowing over farmland in the area.
Power to the area was cut.
Heavy Rain
at
Perry Saddle Hut
Perry Saddle Hut on the Heaphy Track recorded 390 mm (39.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Riwaka River
Riwaka and Brooklyn rivers were in flood.
Heavy Rain
at
Takaka
Takaka recorded 86 mm (8.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 7:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
Roads to Blenheim and Takaka were cut and some houses were isolated.
Main access on both sides of Takaka was blocked.
In Takaka, a state of emergency was declared at 5:36pm on the 21st as floodwaters began to rise in the township and more heavy rain was predicted.
Four houses (approximately 12 people) were evacuated.
Landslide
Takaka Hill Road closed by a slip near the Eureka bend.
Heavy Rain
at
Tarakohe
Tarakohe recorded 35.4 mm (3.54cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Waitapu
Water was across the road at Waitapu and the Waingaro River had broken its banks and was flowing deeply across Paynes Ford on the east side.
Marlborough
Heavy Rain
at
Marlborough
Heavy rain caused severe flooding in several areas of the province.
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared at 7:30pm on the 21st to 8:20am on the 22nd.
Repair bill was estimated at over $1,000,000 ($2,880,500 2009 dollars).
There was heavy flooding in Northbank, Canvastown, Rai Valley, Spring Creek and Tua Marina.
Thousands of hectares of farmland was inundated.
Floodwaters cut the main highway between Blenheim and Nelson. There were numerous closed roads throughout the Sounds.
Flooding washed away several bridges including one across to Twidles Island.
The estimated return period for this event was 100 to 200 years.
Residents were isolated as Ronga and Opouri rivers and their tributaries flooded.
The main road link between Rai and French Pass and Tennyson Inlet was closed.
Landslide
Slips isolated communities in the Rai, Canvastown and Havelock areas.
Flooding
at
Awatere River
The one-way bridge over the Awatere River was washed out.
Flooding
at
Canvastown
The combined floodwaters from the Rai and Pelorus rivers brought severe flooding to Canvastown.
One farmer lost 350 ewes about to lamb along with some lambs. The estimated total stock loss was 800.
Landslide
There were slips in the area.
Flooding
at
Carluke
Streams and creeks broke their banks in the low-lying areas surrounding Carluke.
Flooding
at
Flat Creek
State Highway 6 to Blenheim was cut by floodwaters at Flat Creek.
Heavy Rain
at
Opouri River
Opouri River Catchment received over 700 mm (70.0 cm) of rain from 9:00am on the 19th to 10:00pm on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Rai Valley
Some houses in the Rai township suffered from surface flooding.
Flooding
at
Wairoa Valley
One span from the old Wash bridge in the upper Wairau Valley was washed downstream.
Flooding
at
Wakamarina Valley
33 intermediate school children were stranded at camp. The rising of the river prevented them from getting back.
References
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Meteorological Observations for 1983, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and Antarctica. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- Nelson - Marlborough Regional Council, Takaka Flood Frequency, Maps and Newspapers., Reports of Historical Floods; 1991, published, Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council,pp.61.
- Headline: Canvastown hard-hit by floods again.
- The Marlborough Express, 21 October 1983.
- Headline: Scholl children stranded at camp.
- The Marlborough Express, 21 October 1983.
- Headline: Northbanks 'devastated' by weekend flooding.
- The Marlborough Express, 25 October 1983.
- Headline: Temporary bridge taken by flood.
- The Marlborough Express, 25 October 1983.
- Headline: Floods menace province as rivers rise.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 21 October 1983.
October 1983 Marlborough and Tasman-Nelson Flooding ( 1983-10-21 )
Severe flooding and slips closed roads and Civil Defence emergencies were declared for both Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - Heavy rain caused flooding in Tasman-Nelson and Marlborough from the 21st to the 23rd of October.
The insurance claims for October and July events in 1983 in Golden Bay and Marlborough were $7,090,000 (1991 dollars).
Tasman-Nelson
Flooding
at
Tasman-Nelson
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared at 5:37pm on the 21st until 8:24am on the 22nd.
Agricultural assistance was $160,000 (1991 dollars).
Heavy Rain
at
Bainham
Bainham recorded 211.7 mm (21.07 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8:00am on the 21st.
Heavy Rain
at
Cobb Dam
Cobb Dam recorded 66.9 mm (6.69 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Heavy Rain
at
Cobb Powerhouse
Cobb Power House recorded 60.1 mm (6.01 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Collingwood
The road from Takaka to Collingwood was blocked at Waitapu, the Collingwood-Bainham road was blocked at Brewers Creek, Collingwood-Pukarau road was impassable at Ferntown.
Flooding
at
Kotinga
Kotinga was the worst hit area with both the Takaka and Waingaro rivers flowing over farmland in the area.
Power to the area was cut.
Heavy Rain
at
Perry Saddle Hut
Perry Saddle Hut on the Heaphy Track recorded 390 mm (39.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Riwaka River
Riwaka and Brooklyn rivers were in flood.
Heavy Rain
at
Takaka
Takaka recorded 86 mm (8.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 7:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
Roads to Blenheim and Takaka were cut and some houses were isolated.
Main access on both sides of Takaka was blocked.
In Takaka, a state of emergency was declared at 5:36pm on the 21st as floodwaters began to rise in the township and more heavy rain was predicted.
Four houses (approximately 12 people) were evacuated.
Landslide
Takaka Hill Road closed by a slip near the Eureka bend.
Heavy Rain
at
Tarakohe
Tarakohe recorded 35.4 mm (3.54cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9:00am on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Waitapu
Water was across the road at Waitapu and the Waingaro River had broken its banks and was flowing deeply across Paynes Ford on the east side.
Marlborough
Heavy Rain
at
Marlborough
Heavy rain caused severe flooding in several areas of the province.
Flooding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared at 7:30pm on the 21st to 8:20am on the 22nd.
Repair bill was estimated at over $1,000,000 ($2,880,500 2009 dollars).
There was heavy flooding in Northbank, Canvastown, Rai Valley, Spring Creek and Tua Marina.
Thousands of hectares of farmland was inundated.
Floodwaters cut the main highway between Blenheim and Nelson. There were numerous closed roads throughout the Sounds.
Flooding washed away several bridges including one across to Twidles Island.
The estimated return period for this event was 100 to 200 years.
Residents were isolated as Ronga and Opouri rivers and their tributaries flooded.
The main road link between Rai and French Pass and Tennyson Inlet was closed.
Landslide
Slips isolated communities in the Rai, Canvastown and Havelock areas.
Flooding
at
Awatere River
The one-way bridge over the Awatere River was washed out.
Flooding
at
Canvastown
The combined floodwaters from the Rai and Pelorus rivers brought severe flooding to Canvastown.
One farmer lost 350 ewes about to lamb along with some lambs. The estimated total stock loss was 800.
Landslide
There were slips in the area.
Flooding
at
Carluke
Streams and creeks broke their banks in the low-lying areas surrounding Carluke.
Flooding
at
Flat Creek
State Highway 6 to Blenheim was cut by floodwaters at Flat Creek.
Heavy Rain
at
Opouri River
Opouri River Catchment received over 700 mm (70.0 cm) of rain from 9:00am on the 19th to 10:00pm on the 21st.
Flooding
at
Rai Valley
Some houses in the Rai township suffered from surface flooding.
Flooding
at
Wairoa Valley
One span from the old Wash bridge in the upper Wairau Valley was washed downstream.
Flooding
at
Wakamarina Valley
33 intermediate school children were stranded at camp. The rising of the river prevented them from getting back.
References
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Meteorological Observations for 1983, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and Antarctica. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- Nelson - Marlborough Regional Council, Takaka Flood Frequency, Maps and Newspapers., Reports of Historical Floods; 1991, published, Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council,pp.61.
- Headline: Canvastown hard-hit by floods again.
- The Marlborough Express, 21 October 1983.
- Headline: Scholl children stranded at camp.
- The Marlborough Express, 21 October 1983.
- Headline: Northbanks 'devastated' by weekend flooding.
- The Marlborough Express, 25 October 1983.
- Headline: Temporary bridge taken by flood.
- The Marlborough Express, 25 October 1983.
- Headline: Floods menace province as rivers rise.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 21 October 1983.