[1] Gravel buildup has gradually raised the riverbed, and in 2021 the West Coast Regional Council planned to elevate stopbanks by 1 m at a cost of $5.7 million to protect neighbouring farmland from flooding.

Farmers protested the rates rise that would be needed to pay back this 30-year loan, and suggested the Department of Conservation should contribute.

[2] In March 2023, the river broke through a hole in the stopbank on the north side, and caused significant flooding damage to several farms.

In the area 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) downstream of the State Highway 6 bridge, the river now sits above the flood plain.

Climate variability is producing more intense storms, and combined with the other factors, is increasing the threat of future breaches.