Hāpuku River Explained

Hāpuku River
Mouth Location:South Pacific Ocean
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:New Zealand
Length:About 20km
Source1 Elevation:Highest tributaries rise at about 2,000m
Mouth Elevation:Sea level
Pushpin Map:New Zealand
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the mouth within New Zealand

The Hāpuku River begins in the Seaward Kaikōura Range of New Zealand and flows south-east to enter the South Pacific at Hapuka, between Clarence and Kaikōura.[1] The name comes from the Māori word hāpuku or hāpuka, a deep-water marine fish.[2] Its main tributary is the Puhi Puhi River.

The Hāpuku is bridged by a 1500feet, 1940 bridge on 23 spans of 67feet[3] on the Main North Line[4] and by an 11 span, 227m (745feet) long, 8.6m (28.2feet) wide, 1983 SH1 bridge.[5] The first bridge was completed in 1915,[6] with foundations over 26feet deep,[7] though the approaches were a little later.[8]

Whilst other rivers were affected by serious flooding in 1953, the Hāpuku rose only 6.5feet at the railway bridge.[9] Presumably this was due to the short catchment, the tectonic uplift of its headwaters and the width of the braided river bed, which is a source of railway ballast.[10] However, an 1868 flood had more of an impact upstream, leaving a 30feet bank[11] and a 1941 flood damaged the railway.[12] [13]

Wildlife associated with the area include black-eyed geckos, found near the headwaters of the north branch Hāpuku River,[14] and bluff wetas.[15] Banded dotterels breed in the Hāpuku.[16] Introduced species include red deer, goats (kept at low levels by culling), pigs and chamois.[17]

There were two DoC huts in the valley; Hapuku Hut and Barratts Bivvy, linked by walking tracks.[18] However, a slip triggered by the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake blocked the river, with water building up behind the slip[19] and destroying Barratts Hut[20] and Bivvy.[21]

Hapuka railway station was open from 13 March 1944 to 29 March 1981. A passing loop and ballast siding remain.[22]

See also

-42.3272°N 173.7395°WExternal links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Reed New Zealand Atlas . 2004. 0-7900-0952-8. Peter Dowling . Reed Books. map 67.
  2. Book: Discover New Zealand:A Wises Guide. 9th. 1994. 303–4.
  3. Web site: Scenes on the South Island Main Trunk Railway, between Christchurch and Picton, which is being officially opened this afternoon by the Minister of Railways. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-18.
  4. Web site: HAPUKU BRIDGE (Press, 1939-01-16). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-17.
  5. Web site: Auckland Motorways Structures Data.
  6. Web site: KAIKOURA. (Press, 1915-02-11). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-19.
  7. Web site: KAIKOURA. (Press, 1914-07-01). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-19.
  8. Web site: HON R. H. RHODES. (Star, 1915-05-07). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-19.
  9. Web site: January 1953 Eastern New Zealand Flooding - HWE. hwe.niwa.co.nz. 2016-11-18.
  10. Web site: Lifetime liabilities of land transport using road and rail infrastructure. N Mithraratne. Landcare Research. December 2011. NZ Transport Agency research report 462.
  11. Web site: Kaikoura Floodplain a strategy for reducing the impacts of flooding and flood sediment deposition. 2000. Environment Canterbury. https://web.archive.org/web/20100515201954/http://www.ecan.govt.nz/publications/Plans/KaikouraFloodplainManagementStrategy.pdf. 2010-05-15. dead.
  12. Web site: DAMAGED SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. Press.. March 21, 1941. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-19.
  13. Web site: DAMAGE TO RAILWAY (New Zealand Herald, 1941-03-20). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 2016-11-20.
  14. Web site: Black-eyed geckos (Hoplodactylus kahutarae) on Mt Arthur, Kahurangi National Park. Tony Whitaker. Tim Shaw, Rod Hitchmough. 1999.
  15. Web site: Threatened Terrestrial Insects: A Workshop to Advance Conservation. Mary Cresswell. Dick Veitch. 1994. Threatened Species Unit, Department of Conservation.
  16. Web site: Birds of the braided riverbeds of southern Marlborough, New Zealand. Hallas. S.E.A.. DOC SCIENCE INTERNAL SERIES 95. Department of Conservation.
  17. Web site: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park hunting block: South Marlborough hunting. www.doc.govt.nz. en. 2016-11-19.
  18. Web site: Mt Fyffe and the Seaward Kaikōura Range: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park, Marlborough region. www.doc.govt.nz. en. 2016-11-17.
  19. Web site: Hapuku dam threat on farmers. Stuff. 2016-11-18.
  20. News: Govt reviewing tsunami warnings. 2016-11-19. Otago Daily Times Online News. 2016-11-18.
  21. Web site: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Clarence: Places to go in Marlborough. www.doc.govt.nz. en. 2016-11-19.
  22. Web site: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand. Scoble. Juliet. 2010. 24 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200724032358/http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/dates_and_names.pdf. dead.

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