| Wairoa River | |
|---|---|
Hawke's Bay's Wairoa River system |
|
| Origin | Te Reinga Falls |
| Mouth | Hawke Bay |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
The Wairoa River runs south for 65 kilometres from the inland east coast region of New Zealand's North Island, west of Gisborne, before flowing into northern Hawke Bay at the town of Wairoa.
The full Māori name of the river is: Te Wairoa Hōpūpū Hōnengenenge Mātangi Rau, which means the long, bubbling, swirling, uneven waters[1].
It has a catchment area of 1,415 square miles (3,660 km2)[2] which includes Lake Waikaremoana.
The major tributaries are:
The Hangaroa River and the Ruakituri River merge at Te Reinga Falls, near Te Reinga. This is were the Wairoa River begins.
Lake Waikaremoana is formed in the rockfall-dammed headwaters of the Waikaretaheke River. It has a confluence with the Waiau River 14 miles from the coast[2].
In 1948 a big flood of the Wairoa River submerged the traffic bridge in Wairoa and flooded parts of the town to a depth of 3 feet (0.91 m). This flood flow is one of the largest recorded for any river in New Zealand[2].
In 2010 the Wairoa Township River Walkway project commenced. The Walkway is a pedestrian and cycle path starting at the bridge on the soutbank of the Wairoa River. It is planned that it will eventually completely encircle the town[3].