The Waikari River is a river in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows generally east from its source at the northern end of the Maungaharuru Range passing the settlement of Putorino to reach Hawke Bay 25 kilometres southwest of Wairoa.[1] The name Waikari comes from the Māori words wai meaning "water" and kari meaning "dig".[2] The river was called Waikare until given an official name in 1941.[3]
| Waikari River | |
|---|---|
 Waikari River near Putorino | |
 | |
.png)  | |
| Etymology | Māori meaning "dig for water" |
| Native name | Waikari (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Hawkes Bay |
| Settlements | Putorino |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Maungaharuru Range |
| • coordinates | 39°5′50″S 176°48′21″E / 39.09722°S 176.80583°E |
| • elevation | 780 metres (2,560 ft) |
| Mouth | Hawke Bay |
• coordinates | 39°10′8″S 177°5′23″E / 39.16889°S 177.08972°E |
• elevation | 0 metres (0 ft) |
| Length | 49 km (30 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Matahorua Stream |
| Waterfalls | Shine Falls |
History
editIn the 1931 earthquake a tsunami hit the river mouth, leaving fish up to 15 metres above the high tide level.[4]
Flooding of the river on 14 February 2023 during Cyclone Gabrielle destroyed the State Highway 2 bridge over the river at Putorino[5] and facilities at a Department of Conservation campsite beside the river about 200 metres from the river mouth.[6] A temporary Bailey bridge was erected to replace the highway bridge, opening on 14 May.[7] A huge amount of logs and forest debris swept down by the cyclone still covered the river mouth and adjacent coastline in October 2023.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Place name detail: Waikari River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 25 March 2021.
- ^ "Waikari River". Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Tsunami – Hawke's Bay Emergency Management Group". www.hbemergency.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Moore, Heath (15 February 2023). "Cyclone Gabrielle: Frightening moment bridge bends, breaks away from road in seconds". Hawke's Bay Today. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b Sharpe, Marty (2 October 2023). "Isolated and once pristine Hawke's Bay beach now a mass of logs as far as eye can see". Stuff. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Swift, Molly (13 May 2023). "Big day for Hawke's Bay as new bridge opens between Wairoa and Napier following Cyclone Gabrielle". Newshub. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- New Zealand 1:50000 Topographic Map Series sheet BH39 – Putorino