Ahaura River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | New Zealand |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Tūtaekurī River and Waiheke River |
• elevation | 270 m (890 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Ahaura River |
• elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
The Ahaura River is in the South Island of New Zealand. This river drains the western flanks of the Southern Alps and flows into the Grey River.
The Ahaura and its many tributaries rise in the Lake Sumner State Forest park and enters the Grey River at the small settlement of Ahaura approximately 30 km upstream from Greymouth. It drains a huge area of land and in its lower reaches below the Haupiri confluence can have a tea-colour stain for much of the year. The reaches above the junction with the Haupiri tend to have very clear water however for much of the year. [1]
Other rivers in the catchment are the Nancy, Trent, Tutaekuri and Waiheke Rivers. They can all be kayaked, except in late summer and they are the most used rivers on the West Coast. The lower gorge has remnants of Chinese miners' gold diggings. Pack-tracks to Canterbury used to go through Amuri Pass into the Doubtful River Valley and by the Tūtaekurī to the Hope River. The Ahaura in the gorge is a wide, fast, shallow, braided river, with extensive grassy flats, surrounded by beech forest. Earthquake Rapid, is the largest rapid on the river. A 1981 survey described the scenic and recreational values of the gorge as exceptional. [2]
The river is only bridged by the Stillwater–Ngākawau Line and SH7. [3] A punt operated across the river from 1871 [4] to 1879, when it was replaced by a bridge. [5] The first railway bridge opened in 1890. [6]
At the gorge the Ahaura's 7-day mean annual low flow is 26.45 m3 (934 cu ft) per second, the mean flow 99.77 m3 (3,523 cu ft) and the maximum recorded flow 3,972.06 m3 (140,272 cu ft). [7] On 26 December 1957 the flood gauge at the SH7 bridge reached 7.35 m (24.1 ft). The river's catchment is 870 km2 (340 sq mi). [8]
Gold digging started about 1865 [9] and a small settlement of shanties had been built at Ahauru by January 1866. [10] 3,300 were reported to be at work in the area by March 1866 [11] and a bridle path had been formed. [12]
The Ahaura Terraces and Nancys Clearing Ecological Areas were declared in 1997 to protect kahikatea and red beech (tawhai raunui) forests on the river's terraces, including kākāriki parakeets. [13]
The Waipā River is in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. The headwaters are in the Rangitoto Range east of Te Kuiti. It flows north for 115 kilometres (71 mi), passing through Ōtorohanga and Pirongia, before flowing into the Waikato River at Ngāruawāhia. It is the Waikato's largest tributary. The Waipā's main tributary is the Puniu River.
The Awarau River, usually known as Larry's Creek is located within the South Island of New Zealand. The river is about 27 kilometres (17 mi) long and runs northwest from its headwaters in the Victoria Range to its confluence with the Inangahua River north of Reefton. It also drains part of the Brunner Range and there was a track along that range linking to Lyell by 1901, though none existed in 1874. A track also ran south over Kirwan Hill to the Montgomerie River.
Cape Foulwind is a headland on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of the town of Westport. There is a lighthouse located on a prominent site on the headland. A walkway beginning at the lighthouse carpark traverses the rocky headland to Tauranga Bay and passes close by a colony of New Zealand fur seals. There is limestone quarry in the area, and a cement works operated nearby from 1958 to 2016.
The Inangahua River is located in the northwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It is a major tributary of the Buller River, which it joins at the town of Inangahua Junction.
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The Stillwater Ngākawau Line (SNL), formerly the Stillwater–Westport Line (SWL) and the Ngakawau Branch, is a secondary main line, part of New Zealand's national rail network. It runs between Stillwater and Ngakawau via Westport on the West Coast of the South Island. It was one of the longest construction projects in New Zealand's history, with its first section opened in 1889 and the full line completed 1942.
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The Ōpārau River is a river of the Waikato Region of New Zealand's North Island in the area occupied by Ngāti Hikairo. It flows southwest from its sources in the Pirongia Forest Park, the highest being The Cone, and flows into the Kawhia Harbour, 5 kilometres (3 mi) east of Kawhia. The river has about 171 km (106 mi) of tributaries.
The Tangahoe River is a river of the Taranaki Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows generally southwest from its origins in hill country to the east of Lake Rotorangi, reaching the Tasman Sea in the South Taranaki Bight 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Hawera.
The Trent River is a river of the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. It flows east from its source in the Kaimata Range northeast of Otira, turning north to reach the valley of the Ahaura River via the Tūtaekurī River.
The Waiheke River is a river of the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. It flows west from its origins on Mount Barron in the Southern Alps to reach the Ahaura River, which it forms where it joins the Tūtaekurī River, 20 kilometres northwest of Lake Sumner.
Awatoto is a coastal suburb area located near Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
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Claudelands Bridge is a dual-lane truss road bridge over the Waikato River, joining Claudelands with Hamilton Central. In 1968 it was converted from the old railway bridge, which had been completed about the end of July 1883. The road bridge was given a Category 2 listing in 1985.
The Mangatangi River, or Mangatangi Stream, originates on the eastern slopes of the Hunua Ranges in New Zealand and flows roughly southwards until it is joined by the Ruaotehuia Stream just north of State Highway 2 between Mangatawhiri and Maramarua, where it becomes the Maramarua River. Mangatangi can be translated as manga tangi to stream of weeping, or as rippling stream, or babbling brook.
The Awaroa River is a river in the Ōtorohanga District, on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north from its source near Te Koraha, through Hauturu to Kawhia Harbour. The river passes through both pasture and indigenous forest. Over half of the river is in forest.
Newton River in the Tasman District ), flows west and then south for about 20 km (12 mi) from Mount Newton to the Buller River, 17 km (11 mi) west of Murchison. Near its mouth it is crossed by SH6 on a steel truss bridge with a 120 ft (37 m) main span and two 30 ft (9.1 m) side spans.
This Tutaekuri River is one of at least three rivers with the same name in New Zealand, another Tūtaekurī River being further north in Hawke's Bay and another Tutaekuri River a tributary of the Ahaura River in West Coast.
This Tūtaekurī River is one of at least three rivers with the same name in New Zealand, the others being in Hawke's Bay; Tūtaekurī River near Clive and another Tutaekuri River near Frasertown. It starts near the Hope Pass, in the Southern Alps and flows north-west to join the Ahaura River. The Ahaura joins the Grey River which flows to the Tasman Sea at Greymouth. Tūtaekurī River has been its official name since 21 June 2019. Tūtae kurī is a grass with the latin name agropyron multiflorum.
Coordinates: 42°21′S171°31′E / 42.350°S 171.517°E