Wairoa River (Hawke's Bay)

The Wairoa River system in the Hawke's Bay region

Template: Infobox River / Obsolete

The Wairoa River is a river in Wairoa District on the North Island of New Zealand, whose catchment area with all additions and tributaries comprises almost the entire Wairoa district.

The name literally translates to mean wairoa " long river ", but is not found in the Māori Dictionary.

Geography

Following the official designation of the river Wairoa River begin until the confluence of the River Ruakituri with the Hangaroa River in the valley of the settlement Te Reinga, about 27 km north-east of the district capital of Wairoa. From there, the Wairoa River flows in a southwesterly direction to Fraser Town, only to lead to the inflow of the Waiau Rivers further south towards Wairoa and then in an east extending arc in the Hawke Bay. Before the Waiau River flows into the Wairoa River, he has recorded inflows of Waikaretaheke Rivers, which originate from the Lake Waikaremoana. The entire catchment area of ​​the Wairoa River thus amounts to approximately 3,780 km2.

Flooding

The plane of the mouth of the Wairoa River is quite narrow compared to its catchment area, and besides that, the estuary over a coastline of over 2 km in length is constantly changing and at times can lead to poorer drains into the Pacific Ocean. In the months of November to April, the east coast is more or less strong cyclones that bring the part with them heavy rains, which swelled the rivers greatly in a very short time and can lead to significant flooding, haunted.

Thus, for the town of Wairoa, which was built on the alluvium of the Wairoa River, a permanent danger of flooding. In May 1948, brought heavy rains with 11,440 m3/sec. the highest flow ever recorded in New Zealand. The only bridge that connects the two parts of the city of Wairoa together, almost 1 m disappeared deep in the stream. 1988, however, the bridge was swept away by the effects of Cyclone bora and placed the city under water.

Use

In the Wairoa River fishing is possible. In the river are rainbow trout and brown trout sporadically.

Swell

• David Moore Johnston, Lisa J. Pearse, hazards in Hawke 's Bay, Hawke 's Bay Regional Council, Napier, 2007. ISBN 1-877405-13-2