Whakapapa River

Whakapapa River
Whakapapa River near Ōwhango
Map
Whakapapa River is located in New Zealand
Whakapapa River
Native nameWhakapapa (Māori)
Location
CountryNew Zealand
RegionManawatū-Whanganui
DistrictRuapehu
Physical characteristics
SourceMount Ruapehu
 • locationWhakapapa skifield (Whakapapaiti Stream)
 • coordinates39°15′40″S 175°33′50″E / 39.26111°S 175.56389°E / -39.26111; 175.56389
 • elevation1,930 m (6,330 ft)
2nd sourceConfluence of Whakapapaiti & Whakapapanui Streams
 • elevation740 m (2,430 ft)
MouthWhanganui River
 • coordinates
38°55′48″S 175°24′28″E / 38.93000°S 175.40778°E / -38.93000; 175.40778
 • elevation
255 m (837 ft)
Length40 km (25 mi)
Basin features
ProgressionWhakapapanui Stream → Whakapapa River → Whanganui River
River systemWhanganui River
WaterfallsTawhai Falls

The Whakapapa River in New Zealand forms from streams which trickle off the Whakapapa skifield of Mount Ruapehu and down the western slopes of the mountain. The river passes near Ōwhango, before finally merging with the Whanganui River just east of Kakahi, about 40 km (25 mi) from where it starts,[1] which is in a 100 m (330 ft) deep gorge, at the confluence of the Whakapapaiti and Whakapapanui Streams.[2][3]

Before construction of the North Island Main Trunk Railway began in about 1904,[4] most of the valley was a dense podocarp forest.[5] In 1914 logging of the last sizeable west bank section of that bush began, near Oio.[6]

Peter McIntyre had a home near Kakahi overlooking the confluence of the Whanganui and Whakapapa rivers, and painted several oil landscapes of the Whakapapa River. After his death, the Whakapapa River undermined the white pumice cliffs where his house was built and claimed the house as its own.

Occasionally people kayak a 7.5-kilometre (4.7 mi) stretch of the river from near Ōwhango (38°59.80′S 175°23.92′E / 38.99667°S 175.39867°E / -38.99667; 175.39867) to near Kakahi (38°56.41′S 175°24.50′E / 38.94017°S 175.40833°E / -38.94017; 175.40833). When the river was high enough, kayaks went 23 km (14 mi) from the Whakapapa Intake to Ōwhango bridge. However, Intake Road was closed when a Landcorp farm passed to Te Kotahitanga a Ngāti Tūwharetoa on 1 July 2019. Herenga ā Nuku and Fish and Game have since been negotiating for public access.[7][8][9][10]

Eels and Crans bullies live in the river.[11] Trout were put in the river around 1911[12] and Fish & Game now describe it as very clear and having one of the finest trout fisheries, with rainbow and brown trout.[7]

However, the upper reaches were diverted from the Whakapapa Intake, via tunnels (about 11 km (6.8 mi) and 5.5 km (3.4 mi) long and over 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter),[13] Te Whaiau Stream and Lake Otamangakau reservoir to Lake Rotoaira, as part of the Tongariro Power Scheme, built between 1964 and 1971. Since then the water has been warmer, as about 80% of the river's headwaters now flow into the Waikato catchment. It has also increased the proportion of water coming from developed land.[14] The river is among the worst 25% of rivers for dissolved reactive phosphorus pollution.[15] The Intake was also repaired in 2009.[16]

  1. ^ "Place name detail: Whakapapa River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Place name detail: Whakapapanui Stream". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Whakapapaiti Stream, Manawatu-Wanganui". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  4. ^ "MAIN TRUNK LINE. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 March 1904. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  5. ^ "He whiritaunoka : the Whanganui land report" (PDF). Waitangi Tribunal. 2015.
  6. ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL. WANGANUI HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 May 1914. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Whanganui Headwaters" (PDF). Fish & Game.
  8. ^ "Whakapapa intake road closed…". www.tongarirorivermotel.co.nz. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Official Information Act responses". www.herengaanuku.govt.nz. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Paddling Maps". paddlingmaps.com. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Submissions by Genesis Power Ltd on the Horizons Regional Plan" (PDF). Horizons. 1 July 2008.
  12. ^ J. RICHARDSON and L.D. TEIRNEY (October 1982). "A STUDY OF A TROUT FISHERY" (PDF). NIWA.
  13. ^ Chris Munn. "The Whakapapa - Wanganui Tunnel Lining Repairs 3 February - 13 March 1998" (PDF).
  14. ^ E.J. Cudby & R.R. Strickland (July 1986). "The Manganuioteao Rìver Fishery" (PDF). NIWA.
  15. ^ "Whakapapa at Footbridge River Quality". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  16. ^ Hayley (24 January 2019). "Whakapapa Intake Apron Structure Repairs". Concrete Structures (NZ) Ltd. Retrieved 6 November 2022.