The Ongarue River is a river of the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island.[1] A major tributary of the Whanganui River, it flows west then south from its sources on Pureora and north of the Hauhungaroa Range, northwest of Lake Taupō, before reaching the Whanganui River at the town of Taumarunui. The valley is followed by State Highway 4, from near Ongarue,[2] and by the North Island Main Trunk railway for about 30 km (19 mi),[3] from near Waimiha.[2]
| Ongarue River | |
|---|---|
 The Ongarue River near the mouth at Taumarunui | |
 | |
| Etymology | Māori meaning "place of shaking" |
| Native name | Ōngarue (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| Towns | Taumarunui |
| Settlements | Ongarue, Waimiha |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Hauhungaroa Range |
| • location | Pureora |
| • coordinates | 38°33′14″S 175°37′48″E / 38.55389°S 175.63000°E |
| • elevation | 1,100 m (3,600 ft) |
| Mouth | Whanganui River |
• location | Taumarunui |
• coordinates | 38°53′31″S 175°15′11″E / 38.89194°S 175.25306°E |
• elevation | 144 m (472 ft) |
| Length | 73 km (45 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Ongarue River → Whanganui River |
| River system | Whanganui River |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Maramataha River, Taringamotu River |
| Waterfalls | Wilton Falls, Kawauariki Falls |
Tributaries of the Ongarue include the Maramataha and Taringamotu Rivers[2] and the Mangakahu Stream.[4]
The maximum flow in the river is about 570 cubic metres per second (1,200,000 cu ft/min).[3]
Kayaks can navigate up to Waimiha, except in a narrow gorge near Paraketu and shallow rapids below Taringamotu.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Place name detail: Ongarue River". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ a b c "Ongarue River". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Ongarue River Stabilization Project". ENGEO. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Mangakahu Stream". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand Recreational River Survey" (PDF). NIWA. 1981.