Matukituki River
| Matukituki River | |
|---|---|
Matukituki River West Branch | |
Route of the Makarora River | |
| Native name | Mātakitaki (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Otago |
| District | Queenstown-Lakes |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Matukituki River East Branch |
| • coordinates | 44°19′00″S 168°52′33″E / 44.3168°S 168.8758°E |
| 2nd source | Matukituki River West Branch |
| • coordinates | 44°24′03″S 168°40′39″E / 44.4008°S 168.6776°E |
| Mouth | |
• location | Lake Wānaka |
• coordinates | 44°37′16″S 169°00′32″E / 44.62116°S 169.00896°E |
• elevation | 300 m (980 ft) |
| Length | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Matukituki River → Lake Wānaka → Clutha River / Mata-Au → Pacific Ocean |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Hester Pinney Creek (east branch), Rob Roy Creek (west branch), MacPherson Creek (west branch), |
| • right | Homestead Creek (east branch), Glacier Burn (east branch), Kitchener River (east branch), Ruth Stream (east branch), Liverpool Stream (west branch), Rough Creek (west branch), Cascade Creek (west branch), Red Rock Stream (west branch), Brides Veil Stream (west branch), Wilsons Camp Stream (west branch), Downs Creek (west branch), Big Creek (west branch), Raspberry Creek (west branch), Wishbone Creek (west branch), Sheepyard Creek (west branch), |
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The Matukituki River is a short braided river in the Southern Alps of New Zealand's South Island. Both its West Branch and East Branch originate from the Main Divide mountain ranges near Mount Aspiring / Tititea. Their largely glacier-fed waters each flow for approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) before joining near Camerons Flat. After this confluence, the Matukituki River leaves the boundaries of Mount Aspiring National Park and continues for another 30 kilometres (19 mi) to exit into Lake Wānaka at the lake's southwestern edge.
Six glaciers feed tributary streams to the Matukituki River, the largest being the Upper Volta Glacier, Rob Roy Glacier, Maud Francis Glacier, and the Avalanche Glacier.
From Camerons Flat onwards, the river is increasingly braided until it passes through a narrow gorge and under the West Wanaka bridge just before Lake Wānaka.