15km stopbank protection raised and widened in Tairawhiti's Waipaoa River Flood Resilience Project.

Minister Shane Jones marked the end of the first stage of Tairawhiti's Waipaoa River Flood Resilience Project, which saw a 15km stretch of critical stopbank protection along the river raised and widened. The $7.5 million government-funded project increased flood resilience for 7,000ha of residential and horticultural land. During Cyclone Gabrielle, the stopbanks protected Gisborne city and 10,000ha of fertile floodplain land.