Abstract:
The Waikato river is one of the largest river in New Zealand. It emerges
from Lake Taupo, which lies near the centre of the North Island, and flows in a
northerly direction for approximately 322 km to discharge into the Tasman Sea
at Port Waikato on the west coast. It falls about 366 m during its course, the
greater part of which occurs in the first 200 km after it leaves the lake.
Ridall (1967) has treated the Waikato river as originating between Ruapehu
mountain and the Kaimanawa ranges, but considering, the multitude of other streams
which flow into Lake Taupo and account for nearly 56% of the discharge from that
lake into the Waikato, the question of the origin of the Waikato river upstream
of Lake Taupo seems to be more academic than practical.
