Hāpuku River

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.

Not to be confused with the Hapuka River on the West Coast of New Zealand.

Hāpuku River
The river from the SH1 bridge, August 2015
Hāpuku River is located in New Zealand
Hāpuku River
Location of the mouth within New Zealand
Location
CountryNew Zealand
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationSeaward Kaikōura Range
 • elevationHighest tributaries rise at about 2,000m
Mouth 
 • location
South Pacific Ocean
 • elevation
Sea level
LengthAbout 20km

The Hāpuku 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 over 26 ft (7.9 m) deep,[7] though the approaches were a little later.[8]

Whilst other rivers were affected by serious flooding in 1953, the Hāpuku rose only 6.5 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, an 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 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

References
  1. Peter Dowling, ed. (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 18 November 2016.
  4. "HAPUKU BRIDGE (Press, 1939-01-16)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  5. "Auckland Motorways Structures Data" (PDF).
  6. "KAIKOURA. (Press, 1915-02-11)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. "KAIKOURA. (Press, 1914-07-01)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  8. "HON R. H. RHODES. (Star, 1915-05-07)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  9. "January 1953 Eastern New Zealand Flooding - HWE". hwe.niwa.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  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. 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2010.
  12. "DAMAGED SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. 21 March 1941. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  13. "DAMAGE TO RAILWAY (New Zealand Herald, 1941-03-20)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  14. Tony Whitaker, Tim Shaw, Rod Hitchmough (1999). "Black-eyed geckos (Hoplodactylus kahutarae) on Mt Arthur, Kahurangi National Park" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  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 19 November 2016.
  18. "Mt Fyffe and the Seaward Kaikōura Range: Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park, Marlborough region". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  19. "Hapuku dam threat on farmers". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  20. "Govt reviewing tsunami warnings". Otago Daily Times Online News. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  21. "Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Clarence: Places to go in Marlborough". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  22. Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2020.

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