Waiau Uwha River

Waiau Uwha
Waiau Uwha River upstream from the Waiau Ferry Bridge, near Hanmer Springs
Waiau River system
Location
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
DistrictHurunui
CityHanmer Springs, Waiau, Parnassus
Physical characteristics
SourceSouthern Alps
 • locationSpenser Mountains, New Zealand
 • coordinates42°6′39″S 172°38′42″E / 42.11083°S 172.64500°E / -42.11083; 172.64500
MouthPacific Ocean
 • location
New Zealand
 • coordinates
42°46′40″S 173°22′19″E / 42.77778°S 173.37194°E / -42.77778; 173.37194
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Basin size3,310 km2 (1,280 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftStanley River, Edwards River, Grantham River, Percival River, Hanmer River, Mason River, Stanton River, Leader River
 • rightAda River, Henry River, Hope River

Waiau Uwha River, previously known as the Waiau River, is a river in north Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. The Waiau Uwha River rises in the Spenser Mountains and flows eastward to the Pacific Ocean. The Waiau Uwha River has the second largest catchment—3,310 square kilometres (1,280 sq mi)—of North Canterbury's rivers.[1]

The Waiau river in November 2015

In 2018, the name of the river was officially changed from Waiau River to Waiau Uwha River, to reflect its original Māori name,[2] and to distinguish it from the longer Waiau River in the southern South Island.

  1. ^ Robert Logan, Waimakariri. The story of Canterbury's "river of cold rushing water". ISBN 0-473-00520-4, Robert Logan, Christchurch, 1987, page 6.
  2. ^ "Waiau Uwha River". Land Information New Zealand. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.