Waipawa River
Waipawa town and river in 1885
Location
CountryNew Zealand
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationRuahine Range
 • elevation1,687 m (5,535 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Tukituki River
 • elevation
120 m (390 ft)
Length57 km (35 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftMakaroro River
Mangaonuku Stream

The Waipawa River is a braided river of southern Hawke's Bay, in New Zealand's eastern North Island.[1] It flows southeast from the slopes of 1,687 m (5,535 ft) Te Atuaoparapara (once known as 'Sixty-six')[2] in the Ruahine Range, past the town of Waipawa, before joining the Tukituki River.[3] The river rises at the 1,326 m (4,350 ft) Waipawa Saddle, which is also the source of the Waikamaka River.[4] The Mangaonuku Stream is a tributary on the northern bank, west of Waipawa, near Ruataniwha.[5] The Waipawa's flow is generally greater than that of the Tukituki River, into which it flows.[6]

The Old Bed of Waipawa River flows roughly parallel with and north of the present Waipawa River to join the Tukituki through the Papanui Stream, south west of Lake Poukawa.[7] The Waipawa changed its course during a flood in 1868.[8] It reverted to its old course during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, until the Coronation Park stop bank in Waipawa was repaired on 16 February, returning the Waipawa to its post-1868 course.[9]

River quality is sampled at the SH50 bridge. At that site its Macroinvertebrate Community Index is C (of grades A to D) and likely degrading, but it is in the best 25% of rivers for most samples, except clarity. In warm weather cyanobacteria sometimes develop.[10] Other main routes crossing the river are SH2 and the Palmerston North–Gisborne railway at Waipawa.[11]

There are hundreds of banded dotterel (pohowera) and pied stilt around the river.[1]

Waipawa Forks Hut provides accommodation close to the headwaters of the river.[12] On the ridge to the north, above the headwaters, is Sunrise Hut. It is the most popular hut in the Ruahine Park and was renovated in 2020.[13] A day walk is possible, via Sunrise and the Saddle.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Waipawa River" (PDF). Hawkes Bay Regional Council. 2018.
  2. ↑ "Te Atuaoparapara". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Te Atuaoparapara, Manawatu-Wanganui". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Waipawa Saddle, Hawke's Bay". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Ruataniwha, Hawke's Bay". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Recreational River Survey. Water & soil miscellaneous publication no. 13 (1981)" (PDF). NIWA.
  7. ↑ "Old Bed of Waipawa River, Hawke's Bay". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "LATEST TELEGRAMS. HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 June 1868. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Central Hawke's Bay District Council". www.facebook.com. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Waipawa Rv at SH50 River Quality". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Waipawa, Wellington". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  12. ↑ "Waipawa Forks Hut". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "Popular Sunrise Hut revamped". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "A challenging day tramp in the Ruahine Ranges". Napier Tramping Club. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2021.

39°58′S 176°38′E / 39.967°S 176.633°E / -39.967; 176.633

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