THE Rakiraki Town Council has conducted an environment impact study on waterways leading into the centre in the search for answers to flooding.

Special administrator Ralulu Cirkiyasawa said details of the assessment would be made once an analysis of the EIA was completed. “Flooding is a huge challenge for us because when it happens it disrupts business and affects the movement of people,” he said.

“I have always maintained that if we want to manage flooding in Rakiraki, we will need to dredge the river right to the mouth and also address issues upstream as well. Indiscriminate logging that had taken place in the late ’90s has removed trees that used to hold the soil together and this has led to increased soil erosion,” Mr Cirkiyasawa said.

He said he had held discussions with relevant authorities regarding afforestation program.