Water of Leith (New Zealand)

Water of Leith
Upper reaches of the Water of Leith, Woodhaugh, Dunedin
Route of the Water of Leith
Mouth of the Water of Leith Show map of New Zealand Water of Leith (New Zealand) (South Island) Show map of South Island
Location
Country	New Zealand
Physical characteristics
Source	Leith Saddle
• location	Sullivans Dam
• coordinates	45°48′31″S 170°31′20″E / 45.80868°S 170.5221°E / -45.80868; 170.5221
• elevation	380 m (1,250 ft)
Mouth
• location	Otago Harbour
• coordinates	45°52′19″S 170°31′33″E / 45.87183°S 170.52581°E / -45.87183; 170.52581
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	14 km (8.7 mi)
Basin features
Progression	Water of Leith → Otago Harbour → Pacific Ocean
Tributaries
• left	Lindsay Creek, Ōpoho Creek
• right	Morrisons Burn, Nicols Creek, Ross Creek
Bridges	George Street Bridge, St David Street Footbridge, University of Otago Stone Bridge, Leith Walk Bridge, Water of Leith Footbridge

The Water of Leith (also known as Ōwheo, the River Leith, Leith Stream or Leith Canal), is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.

It rises to the north of the city of Dunedin, flowing for 14 kilometres (9 mi) southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour. The name of the city of Dunedin is the anglicised form of Dùn Èideann which is the Scottish Gaelic form of the name Edinburgh, and thus the river is also named for the Water of Leith which runs through the Scottish capital. The original Māori name for the stream was Ōwheo ("The place of Wheo"), Wheo being the name of a local chief whose village stood close to its mouth.^[1] This name is now rarely used (but the university's computer science department building is named after it).