Arawhata River
Encyclopedia
The Arawhata River is in the West Coast
region of the South Island
of New Zealand
.
The river has its headwaters in the Mount Aspiring National Park
. It drains the eastern side of the Southern Alps
and heads in a northerly direction for 60 kilometres, draining into Jackson Bay
. A small lake, Lake Ellery, drains into the river near its mouth, via a short tributary, the Jackson River.
Access is possible up the river by jetboat
. Access to the glaciers, forests and flats of the upper reaches of the valley is restricted by the formidable Ten Hour Gorge. Glacial silt in the river imparts an opaque green to greyish coloration to the water. The lower valley is grazed by cattle by the local farmers under a grazing licence. The majority of the land in the area is publicly owned and administered by the Department of Conservation
.
Due to the high rainfall on the western side of the Southern Alps, the river level can rapidly rise.
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
region of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The river has its headwaters in the Mount Aspiring National Park
Mount Aspiring National Park
Mount Aspiring National Park is located in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, north of Fiordland National Park, and between Otago and south Westland. The park forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site.-Geography:...
. It drains the eastern side of the Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
and heads in a northerly direction for 60 kilometres, draining into Jackson Bay
Jackson Bay
Jackson Bay is a gently curving bay 24 kilometers wide, located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It faces the Tasman Sea to the north, and is backed by the Southern Alps...
. A small lake, Lake Ellery, drains into the river near its mouth, via a short tributary, the Jackson River.
Access is possible up the river by jetboat
Jetboat
A jetboat is a boat propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft. Unlike a powerboat or motorboat that uses a propeller in the water below or behind the boat, a jetboat draws the water from under the boat into a pump inside the boat, then expels it through a nozzle at the...
. Access to the glaciers, forests and flats of the upper reaches of the valley is restricted by the formidable Ten Hour Gorge. Glacial silt in the river imparts an opaque green to greyish coloration to the water. The lower valley is grazed by cattle by the local farmers under a grazing licence. The majority of the land in the area is publicly owned and administered by the Department of Conservation
New Zealand Department of Conservation
The Department of Conservation , commonly known by its acronym, "DOC", is the state sector organisation which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage...
.
Due to the high rainfall on the western side of the Southern Alps, the river level can rapidly rise.