Kahutara River
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| 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) |
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 Peketa, 7 kilometres (4 mi) southwest of Kaikōura.
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]