Hurunui River

The Hurunui River drains the eastern side of the South Island main divide north of Arthur's Pass National Park. Much of its headwaters is in Lake Sumner Forest Park, with Lake Sumner itself being the dominant landscape feature in the North Branch. Combining with the South Branch, it heads through the Hurunui Gorge to spill onto the north Canterbury Plains.

The Hurunui is the only wild river on the east coast of the South Island that still runs unimpeded from mountain to sea via a natural inland lake.

It is a crucial habitat for native birds and fish including the endangered black fronted tern and the banded dotterel.

The river is highly valued for recreation and is a popular spot for kayaking, angling, and white-water rafting and kayaking. Because of its accessibility, with a road running through the gorge to access Lake Sumner and other smaller lakes in the area, it is very popular with campers, holiday makers and school groups.

Whitewater NZ and Fish and Game recently applied for a Water Conservation Order on the River, and were partially successful. The WCO Tribunal has recommended [PDF 3MB] full protection of the northern Lake Sumner branch of the river, but declined protection on the South Branch. Given the intrinsic connection of the two branches, the conservation and recreation values of the South Branch, and the fact that any development of the upper river will increase biosecurity risks such as didymo, this decision does not make sense. It has been appealed.

More information:

• Forest and Bird's Hurunui campaign
• Read FMC's submission on the Hurunui dams.
• Visit the Dambusters website

The Threat to the Hurunui River

The Hurunui Water Project seeks to build a 75m high dam in the South Branch of the Hurunui River.

Organisations Supporting the Hurunui River