Despite the deluge over the weekend, forestry sites have held up well.

The Marlborough District Council is keeping a close eye on forest companies, since waste wood from logging blocked waterways during floods in Marlborough 18 months ago.

The forest industry was blamed for flood damage in the Canvastown and Onamalutu areas in December 2010.

Marlborough District Council environmental protection officer Mark Spencer said despite heavy rain falling in the Canvastown and Pelorus areas over the weekend, he saw little evidence of similar damage.

"By and large, forestry sites held up well," Mr Spencer said.

Between Blenheim and Canvastown, wood and water had flowed down a forestry road and were stopped from reaching State Highway 6 by a gate, he said. Water probably welled up beneath a forested slope owned by Nelson Forests. This caused a layer of soil beneath to slip, carrying logs and slush onto the road.

In the 2010 flood, the Marlborough Express reported several landings where logs were processed had collapsed, sending large "nests" of wood waste into catchments below.

Mr Spencer said skid sites appeared to have held over the weekend, but he was yet to visit forested sites.

Last year, the council appointed a second forest monitoring officer, Steve Urlich, to oversee compliance by Nelson Forests while Mr Spencer keeps an eye on other companies.

They visited forests pre-logging to make sure water control measures were in place, Mr Spencer said. Culverts and water tables were checked to ensure they would hold up during heavy rain.

The emphasis was on the "window of vulnerability" when the roots of harvested trees had rotted but replacement trees were too small to hold slopes together, Mr Spencer said.

Forests on extremely steep and erosion-prone slopes in Marlborough were especially vulnerable to storm damage, Mr Spencer said. Marlborough forestry companies had been happy to co-operate with the council compliance group.

- The Marlborough Express

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