The Kahutara River is a river of New Zealand's South Island. It flows southeast from the Seaward Kaikōura Range, reaching the Pacific Ocean at the tiny settlement of Peketā, 7 kilometres (4 mi) southwest of Kaikōura.
| Kahutara River | |
|---|---|
 Kahutara River, view to west-north-west to railway bridge | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Seaward Kaikōura Range |
| • elevation | 1,154 m (3,786 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Pacific Ocean |
• elevation | 0m |
| Length | 27 km (17 mi) |
Kāti Māmoe had a pā, Peketā, on the hill to the south of the estuary.[1] It was excavated in 1958 and 1976,[2] when a terraced village, with pit houses, and a pā, protected by a ditch and a mound, were found. Part of it has been eroded by the sea cliff.[3]
Lake Rotorua, to the north of the estuary, was formed by greywacke shingle in the braided river building up to block the mouth of a former tributary.[4]
The river is bridged by the Inland Kaikōura Road, the Main North railway line and State Highway 1.[5]
A 4-wheel drive track runs to the east of the upper valley, off the Inland Kaikōura Road, giving access to huts and walks in the Waiau Toa / Clarence River valley, Ka Whata Tu O Rakihouia Conservation Park, Inland Kaikōuras[6] and to Molesworth Station.[7] Black-eyed geckos live on rock faces in the Kahutara Saddle area, at the summit of the track. Pests, including possum and mustelids also live there, but very few rats.[8]
Water quality in the river is tested at 3 sites, which show that, below the Inland Kaikōura Road,[9][10][11] the "lowland catchment is under some land-use pressures with a mixture of low and high producing grassland".[12]
Common river galaxias, īnanga, eels (tuna), redfin bully, common bully (toitoi), upland bully, common smelt (pōrohe) and brown trout live in the river.[13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Star, Christchurch (17 January 1976). "Peketa Pa archaeological site". Christchurch Star archive, Archive 1072. Copy prints. Arch 1072/1/1/73. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ Davidson, G. D. (1976), Late Holocene environmental history in the Kaikoura area, University of Canterbury
- ^ "Investigating an ancient Maori village. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 February 1976. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ V.M. Stout (1985). "The ecology of three small lakes near Kaikoura". Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury.
- ^ "Kahutara River, Canterbury". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia/Clarence walks". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "East West Route, Molesworth Station". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ Sherley, Greg (September 1989). "Initial surveys for the Black-eyed gecko, Hoplodactylus kahatarae" (PDF). DoC.
- ^ "Kahutara River at SH70 River Quality". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Kahutara River at Above Ford Dairy Farm Rd River Quality". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Kahutara River". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Environmental monitoring data for Kahutara River Catchment". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ Dr Leigh Bull, Dr Sharon De Luca, Dr Tanya Blakely, Diana Robertson and Dr Sharyn Goldstien (20 March 2017). "Ecological scoping survey and assessment of the restoration works for Kaikōura south". Environment Canterbury.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
"Place name detail: Kahutara River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
42°26′S 173°35′E / 42.433°S 173.583°E