Flood resilience funding
Through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) the Government has invested nearly $200 million into 74 regional flood resilience projects across New Zealand.
Flooding is the most common natural hazard in New Zealand, with a major flood event occurring on average every 8 months. Across the country around 675,000 people – or 14% of the population – live in areas prone to flooding.
Flood protection was identified as a key investment priority of the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) as it represents core resilience infrastructure, which is crucial to the economic, social, cultural, and environmental wellbeing of our country.
Proactive RIF investment in flood resilience projects focuses on infrastructure that protects communities from extreme weather events and other climate change impacts. These projects safeguard lives, reduce disruption to businesses and infrastructure, and minimise cleanup and rebuild costs.
By enabling regions and the country to recover faster after storms and floods, these investments deliver significant economic and social benefits. Studies have suggested that dollar-for-dollar, flood protection infrastructure offers one of the highest cost-benefit returns compared to other large-scale infrastructure projects.
Tranche 2 RIF funded flood resilience projects
The second tranche of flood resilience funding was announced in October 2025, with the Government investing an additional $96.8 million into 32 flood resilience projects across New Zealand.
The projects are a range of new and upgraded infrastructure that will help protect communities against flooding, including: stopbanks, spillways, culverts, gravel realignment and extraction, rock walls, and streambank stabilisation.
For more information see the flood resilience project map and project list:
- Tranche 2 flood resilience project map [PDF, 236 KB]
- Tranche 2 flood resilience project list [PDF, 199 KB]
Early flood warning systems
As part of the second tranche of RIF funding, the government invested $5.62 million in a national project to install early flood warning systems across 10 councils.
The $9.38 million project involves upgrading flood monitoring infrastructure, including river level sensors, flow gauges, telemetry equipment and surveillance cameras.
These improved systems will support local communities with earlier warnings and faster decision-making when conditions deteriorate.
The project is being co-ordinated by Environment Canterbury on behalf of the 10 participating councils. Councils are funding 40% of the costs, with the government covering the remaining 60%.
The participating councils are: Waikato Regional Council; Taranaki Regional Council; Greater Wellington Regional Council; Tasman District Council; Nelson City Council; Marlborough District Council; Environment Canterbury; Otago Regional Council; West Coast Regional Council; Environment Southland.
Read the Government’s announcement:
Work underway on early flood warning systems — Beehive.govt.nz
Find out what is happening in each region:
Regional details of early warning flood infrastructure - September 2026 [PDF, 171 KB]
Tranche 1 RIF funded flood resilience projects
The first tranche of flood resilience funding was announced in August 2024, with the Government investing $101.1 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund into 42 priority flood resilience projects.
Read the Government’s 2024 announcement: Funding for regional flood resilience confirmed - Beehive.govt.nz