Residents of West Blandswood, near Peel Forest, have called for a permanent structure to maintain a passable ford after they were cut off by flooding when South Canterbury was hit by severe weather over the weekend of July 21-23.

Residents were stranded for 24 hours after the ford became impassable by 4pm on July 21, as the deluge reached its peak, with 12.5mm falling from 3pm-4pm at the base of Mt Peel.

From Friday to Sunday a total of 157.5mm of rain was recorded at an Environment Canterbury gauge uphill from where the ford crosses Kowhai Stream. 

JOHN BISSET/STUFF

Blandswood resident Allan Averis would like to see a permament structure over the Kowhai Stream so his property is not cut off every time high rainfall engulfs the ford.

Resident Allan Averis remembers when the bridge was destroyed and four children drowned in a flash flood in January, 1975.  A landslip had created a dam which burst, causing the sudden rush of deadly water. About 200mm of rain had fallen in a short period of time.

The course of the stream was then diverted and deepened and a replacement bridge was built but in 1986 that also washed away due to flooding and it had not been replaced since. Every time there was excess water the residents' access was cut off.

"There have been half-hearted attempts (to improve the ford)... the water is pretty powerful when it gets going," he said.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF

Blandswood residents, from left Allan Averis, Rex Mason and Peter Skidmore. discuss the problems of not having a permanent structure over the Kowhai Stream ford.

Averis was concerned that when residents were stranded due to heavy rainfall, emergency services would not be able to access them. Also the gushing water scoured the gravel of the ford, making it muddy and hard to predict how deep it was.

To try to get a permanent solution, Averis found an engineering firm in Ashburton which could create an underpass for $140,000, which would cater for 8 tonne trucks. He said he took the paperwork to the Timaru District Council (TDC).

"They weren't interested."

TDC land transport manager Andrew Dixon said the suggestion had been considered but was not feasible.

"The underpass is for the stream flow and does not have sufficient capacity for peak flows. There is no consideration on how to anchor this structure in the streambed, how to prevent aggregate buildup in it, the cost of road approaches, and not forgetting consent issues of building a structure in the streambed."

Though there were only about eight permanent residents and a tourist lodge which used the ford, Averis said they were ratepayers who did not have any street gutters, footpaths or street lights, unlike their urban counterparts.

Peter Skidmore has had a bach at Blandswood for 35 years and has lived there permanently for the last year. In April high rain levels meant he was cut off for four days. He thought the stopbanks which had been built since 1986 had prevented further damage this time round and blames a lack of maintenance for the second bridge being washed away.

Blandswood Residents' Association member Rex Mason does not need to cross the ford to get to his home of 15 years but would like to see more timely maintenance  and a better co-ordinated approach by the three authorities responsible, TDC, ECan and the Department of Conservation.

Council grader contractors were quick to flatten out the gravel on July 22 to make the ford passable but the residents say it will just wash out again next time.

Dixon said the ford had been improved so it would provide an easier crossing for vehicles and perform better during storm events. 

"This was an extreme weather event ... The ford performed very well, only requiring minor repairs. At least one resident has been in touch to say they were pleased with how the ford had performed following the upgrade.

There are 135 fords on 83 roads across South Canterbury.

"Many roads in the district have fords and many of those are sole access roads. The cost of building a bridge with a long enough span so that it isn't washed away like the two previous bridges would be over $1 million, and as it would serve fewer than 10 properties, it is not considered judicious use of ratepayer funding," Dixon said.

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 - Stuff