Wairoa River, Bay of Plenty

:"For other New Zealand rivers called Wairoa, see Wairoa River. For the smaller watercourse on Motiti island, Bay of Plenty, see Wairoa Stream."

The Wairoa River runs north into Tauranga Harbour at the western end of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's North island. There are several Dams on the Wairoa river used to generate electricity. The last Dam diverts water around the river bed to the Ruahine Power Station. An arrangement with whitewater users sees water released down the river bed 26 days a year. This provides for a popular whitewater run.

Every year in February the upper section of the river is home to a kayak extreme whitewater race. The first day is a sprint down to bottom of The Waterfall. The 2nd day is head to head racing down the Grade V Waterfall and Rollercoaster.

River description

The whitewater starts at Mc Clarens Falls, a 25-foot Grade VI waterfall (usually not paddled). The first 4-foot drop is called "Humpty Dumpty", often used as a warm-up. The first major rapid is "Mother's Nightmare" - a long Grade IV rapid finishing with an 8-foot drop. Then follow the few grade III rapids (Helicopter, Double Trouble & Devils Elbow/Washing Machine) Then comes the two Grade V sections, "The Waterfall" (a small drop into a hole followed by a 9-foot drop) and Roller Coaster. After that there is a Grade III rock garden, a Whitewater Slalom gorge and few short grade III rapids leading up to the grade IV "Bottom Waterfall" (another 9-foot drop).