Cyclone Gabrielle

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I can remember working on the Moutoa sluice gates in 1960-61 on the lower Manawatu river. This was designed to control the potential for flooding. Wilkins and Davies were very strict about the quality of the workmanship unlike many firms today. And the Ministry of Works monitored the building standards.
Before that farms used to flood regularly between Shannon and Foxton and there were scenes like today.
Regrettably the development of these mitigation schemes around the country ceased.