Hapuku River

Not to be confused with the Hapuka River on the West Coast of New Zealand, or the Hāpuku fish.
Hapuku River

Google image of Hapuku from SH1 bridge Aug 2015
Country New Zealand
Basin
Main source Seaward Kaikoura Range
highest tributaries rise at about 2,000m
River mouth South Pacific Ocean
sea level
Physical characteristics
Length about 20km

The Hapuku River is a river of New Zealand. It begins in the Seaward Kaikoura Range and flows south-east to enter the South Pacific at Hapuka, between Clarence and Kaikoura.[1] The name comes from the Māori word Hapuku or Hapuka, a deep-water marine fish.[2]

The main tributary is the Puhi Puhi River.

The Hapuku is bridged by a 1,500 ft (460 m), 1940 bridge on 23 spans of 67 ft (20 m)[3] on the Main North Line[4] and by an 11 span, 227 m (745 ft) long, 8.6 m (28 ft) wide, 1983 SH1 bridge.[5] The first bridge was completed in 1915,[6] with foundations 26 deep,[7] though the approaches were a little later.[8]

Whilst other rivers were affected by serious flooding in 1953, the Hapuku rose only 6.5 ft (2.0 m) 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, a 1868 flood had more of an impact upstream, leaving a 30 ft (9.1 m) 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 Hapuku River,[14] and bluff wetas.[15] Banded dotterels breed in the Hapuku.[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 Kaikoura 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 until 29 March 1981, though a passing loop and ballast siding remain.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Peter Dowling (editor) (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 67. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  2. ↑ Discover New Zealand:A Wises Guide (9th ed.). 1994. pp. 303–4.
  3. ↑ "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. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  4. ↑ "HAPUKU BRIDGE (Press, 1939-01-16)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  5. ↑ "Auckland Motorways Structures Data" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "KAIKOURA. (Press, 1915-02-11)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  7. ↑ "KAIKOURA. (Press, 1914-07-01)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  8. ↑ "HON R. H. RHODES. (Star, 1915-05-07)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  9. ↑ "January 1953 Eastern New Zealand Flooding - HWE". hwe.niwa.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  10. ↑ N Mithraratne, Landcare Research (December 2011). "Lifetime liabilities of land transport using road and rail infrastructure" (PDF). NZ Transport Agency research report 462.
  11. ↑ "Kaikoura Floodplain a strategy for reducing the impacts of flooding and flood sediment deposition" (PDF). Environment Canterbury. 11-07-2000. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ↑ "DAMAGED SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. Press.". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 21-03-1941. Retrieved 2016-11-19. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ↑ "DAMAGE TO RAILWAY (New Zealand Herald, 1941-03-20)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
  14. ↑ Tony Whitaker, Tim Shaw, Rod Hitchmough (1999). "Black-eyed geckos (Hoplodactylus kahutarae) on Mt Arthur, Kahurangi National Park" (PDF).
  15. ↑ Mary Cresswell, Dick Veitch (1994). "Threatened Terrestrial Insects: A Workshop to Advance Conservation" (PDF). Threatened Species Unit, Department of Conservation.
  16. ↑ Hallas, S.E.A. "Birds of the braided riverbeds of southern Marlborough, New Zealand" (PDF). DOC SCIENCE INTERNAL SERIES 95. Department of Conservation.
  17. ↑ "Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park hunting block: South Marlborough hunting". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  18. ↑ "Mt Fyffe and the Seaward Kaikoura Range: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park, Marlborough region". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  19. ↑ "Hapuku dam threat on farmers". Stuff. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  20. ↑ "Govt reviewing tsunami warnings". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2016-11-19. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  21. ↑ "Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Clarence: Places to go in Marlborough". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  22. ↑ Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand" (PDF).

Coordinates: 42°19′38″S 173°44′22″E / 42.327231°S 173.739502°E / -42.327231; 173.739502External links


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