Clarence River (New Zealand)

Clarence River with the Kaikoura Range

The Clarence River with a length of 201 km of the eight longest river in New Zealand and the fifth longest river in the South Island of the country. In the language of Māori means the river Waiau - toa.

Geography

The Clarence River rises in the northeastern part of the Spenser Mountains and fills a few miles down the valley to the glacial Lake Tennyson. From there, the river runs southward until, after about 40 kilometers of river makes a left turn and then follows the rejection of the Clarence Fault along the northeast. In the same trend, the river winds through a rugged valley, which is formed by the Inland Kaikoura Range in the northwest and the Seaward Kaikoura Range in the southeast. After a 180 ° turn to the north-eastern end of the Seaward Kaikoura Range around eventually follows contrary to a recent swing to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean.

The river drains an area of over 3280 km ². The fluctuations of the water level are great as with almost all New Zealand rivers. The river has been in the upper course at the measurement point Jollies on the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research water levels between 62 mm and 3,621 mm depending on the season and weather conditions.

Use

The Clarence River is popular for rafting and canoeing sports. From the inflow of the Acheron River from up to State Highway 1, just before it flows into the ocean, the river is navigable for a distance of 175 km, depending on the water level. In the river, right up to the glacier lake can be fished.

Ecology

Since settlements are hard to find in the catchment area of the river, the river is considered to be unloaded. On October 11, 2007, however, was a warning of the Department Biosecurity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In the upper course of the river which is dragged to New Zealand and already widespread alga Didymosphenia geminata ( Didymo ) was detected ..

Legends of the Māori

" Toa " in the name Waiau - toa stands for the male. A history of Māori refers to the two rivers Waiau River and Clarence River, whose headwaters is located just 3 km apart. Waiau - uha and Waiau - toa were according to legend, two lovers who were separated and were transformed into two rivers. Waiau - uha to have been crying about the breakup so, so warm rain fell, the melting snow in the mountains and thus the two rivers swelled ..

Swell

• Clarence River - An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966 edited by AH McLintock. ( Online edition, accessed on March 3, 2009)