| Townshend River | |
| Source1 Location: | Puketeraki Range |
| Mouth Location: | Ashley River / Rakahuri |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | New Zealand |
| Length: | 140NaN0 |
The Townshend River is a river of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It rises in the Puketeraki Range 20km (10miles) north of Springfield and flows generally east to reach the Ashley River / Rakahuri 10km (10miles) north of Oxford, upstream from the Ashley Gorge.