| Mokihinui River | |
|---|---|
| Mouth | Tasman Sea |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Mouth elevation | 0 m |
| Basin area | 670.36 km² |
The Mokihinui River is a river located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, about 40 kilometres north of Westport.[1]
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The Mokihinui River's headwaters are located in the Glasgow Range and its mouth is on the Tasman Sea. There is little human habitation near the river: the localities of Mokihinui and Summerlea are near the river's mouth, Seddonville is a few kilometres up the river, and just prior to its terminus, State Highway 67 crosses the river outside Mokihinui. In the rugged back country behind Seddonville at the Mokihinui Forks, the river splits into two branches, north and south.[1] The catchment of these two branches is a large inland basin of almost wholly unmodified forest.[2]
A tramping track runs along the south bank of the river giving access to Kahurangi National Park.
The river of interest for recreation and commercial whitewater activities. There is three hours of grade III water downsteam from where the north and south forks meet. A river level of 1-1.5 metres is an optimum flow.[3]
The last few kilometres of the former Seddonville Branch railway roughly followed the Mokihinui River near its mouth. The Branch opened on 23 February 1895 and closed on 3 May 1981.[4] During this period, the New Zealand Railways Department dumped old steam locomotives on the river's banks to protect against erosion. Two of these locomotives, members of the WB class, were recovered from the Mokihinui River in 1989 by the Baldwin Steam Trust.[5]
Meridian Energy is proposing to build a hydroelectric dam on the river to produce 310-360 GWh per year. A resource consent was granted in April 2010. Opposition to the proposal has been expressed by a number of recreational, environmental and fishing organisations.
On 3 November, before the official decision had been released, the Minister of Energy and Resources Gerry Brownlee reportedly said that the dam will not go ahead.[6]