Selwyn River / Waikirikiri

BW

The Selwyn River is a river in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. The Māoriname for the river is Waikirikiri, but this is rarely used in language use.

The river has its source at the foot of the Southern Alps. It flows approximately 80 km in a southerly direction and then opens on the northeast side of Lake Ellesmere, south of Banks Peninsula. Terrace-like cliffs on the upper reaches of the river gave the city its name to White Cliffs.

In the upper reaches of the river carries water all year round. On a large part of its further reaches of the river flows through a broad, permeable gravel bed through the Canterbury Plains. In addition, under the river lie enormous groundwater aquifers, where the river water seeps.

In most months, the river seeps therefore already 5 km after leaving the foothills of the Southern Alps. It flows the next 35 km underground in the ballast of his bed and is superficially dried up. That, even in the lower reaches, just 20 km from Ellesmere happen where the river near the village of Selwyn from State Highway 1 is crossed. The only exception is a short section at the inflow of the water all year long leading Hororata River. Approximately 15 miles from Lake Ellesmere push the aquifers to the surface again and the river is again water all year round.

The fact that the river carries only temporarily in its central part water, allowed only a few species survival. At the same time represents a barrier to the spread of invertebrates and fish between Lake Ellesmere and the upper reaches of this area dar.

Another tributary is the River Waianiwaniwa

Swell

• River in Australia and Oceania
• River in New Zealand
• Canterbury ( region )
• Water system Pacific Ocean