- right Hakataramea Length 110 km | - elevation 0 m (0 ft) Discharge 356 m³/s Source Southern Alps | |
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- average 356 m/s (12,572 cu ft/s) Similar Ben Dam, Avie Dam, Southern Alps, Moeraki Boulders, Waimakariri River | ||
The Waitaki River is a large braided river that drains the Mackenzie Basin and runs some 110 kilometres (68 mi) south-east to enter the Pacific Ocean between Timaru and Oamaru on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It starts at the confluence of the Ohau River and the Tekapo River, now in the head of the artificial Lake Benmore, these rivers being fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo, and Ohau. The Waitaki flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki, these lakes being contained by hydroelectric dams, Benmore Dam, Aviemore Dam and Waitaki Dam. The Waitaki has several tributaries, notably the Ahuriri River and the Hakataramea River. It passes Kurow and Glenavy before entering the Pacific Ocean.
Contents
- Map of Waitaki River Otago New Zealand
- Jet boating nz waitaki river waitaki dam
- Irrigation and electricity generation
- References
Map of Waitaki River, Otago, New Zealand
The river’s flow is normally low in winter, with flows increasing in spring when the snow cloaking the Southern Alps begins to melt, with flows throughout the summer being rainfall dependent and then declining in the autumn as the colder weather begins to freeze the smaller streams and streams which feed the catchment. The median flow of the Waitaki River at Kurow is 356 cubic metres per second (12,600 cu ft/s).
The middle of the river bed formed a traditional political boundary between Canterbury and Otago. As such, the term "South of the Waitaki" is often used to refer to the Otago and Southland regions as one common area (the two regions share historical and ethnic relationships which make them distinct from the regions to the north of them).
The river is popular for recreational fishing and jetboating.
Jet boating nz waitaki river waitaki dam
Irrigation and electricity generation
In 2001 a proposal for a series of canals and dams was made by Meridian Energy for irrigation and electricity generation on the river. This scheme, known as Project Aqua, planned to divert up to 77 percent of the lower river's flow to create a hydroelectric scheme, but these plans were dropped in March 2004. Lack of commercial viability was given as the major reason for the scheme's shelving, although strenuous public protest may also have been a major contributing factor. A more modest successor scheme, the North Bank tunnel looked likely to proceed, with water rights being granted in 2009, but land access negotiations were suspended in January 2013 due to flat demand for electricity forecast for the next five years.