Flood Impacts on Dairy Farms in the Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand

Flood damage assessments provide critical information for flood hazard mitigation under changing climate conditions. Recent efforts to improve and systemise have focused primarily on urban environments with few examples primary industries such as dairy. This paper explores the adverse consequences of flooding dairy farms in Bay Plenty region, New Zealand. Ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie April 2017 caused prolonged riverine surface water over 3500 hectares farmland. The event provided an opportunity develop apply a participatory approach collecting about on-farm damage, both response recovery actions implemented by farmers. Semi-structured interviews transect walks farmers revealed range direct indirect damages production capital assets, influenced duration inundation, silt deposition seasonality. Results highlight need identify off-farm asset interdependencies farm systems estimate long-term socio-economic at farm-level. Enhancing resilience will rely farm-level plans, proactively supported emergency management agencies, service suppliers support agencies.