Campers in the Waitaki Lakes district are advised to prepare for the risk of sudden flooding, as river and lake levels may rise during the Christmas and New Year period.
Waitaki District Council says heavy rain in the Southern Alps is common in December and January, leading power companies to spill water from hydro lakes into the Waitaki River.
Emergency services manager Chris Raine says quite a few campers were caught out last year when river and lake levels rose rapidly.
Council officers will be visiting camping grounds in the next couple of weeks to advise holiday makers of the risks of camping close to the lake shore.
