Graham River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Graham River |
|
|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Marlborough |
| River mouth | Queen Charlotte Sound |
The Graham River is a river in the Marlborough area of New Zealand. It starts near Mount McCormick. The river flows north, then west, then north again. Finally, it empties into Whatamango Bay. This bay is on the south side of Queen Charlotte Sound.
Living Near the Graham River
The valley around the Graham River became a place for homes in the 1950s. People started building houses on these plots of land in the year 2000.
Flooding Concerns
The Graham River area has experienced floods before. Big floods happened in November 1994 and July 1998. There was also a smaller flood in May 1995.
Because of these floods, the local government, called the Marlborough District Council, made some rules. They said that new houses had to have their floors built above a certain height. This helps protect homes from floodwaters. The council also gave a special notice to residents. This notice explained that the area could flood.
Major Floods and River Changes
On February 17, 2004, very heavy rain caused a sudden, strong flood in the Graham River. This kind of flood is called a flash flood. The same rain also caused floods in nearby Waikawa and Picton.
Homes near the river were covered by deep, fast-moving water. Experts said this was a very rare event, something that might only happen once every 200 years. Another flood hit the area in 2005.
After these floods, the council decided to help the river. They agreed to remove gravel from the upper parts of the river. During floods, gravel gets washed downstream. Too much gravel can make the river channel smaller. Removing it helps the river flow better and reduces the risk of future floods.
