Waitaki River

Waitaki RiverRoad bridge over the Waitaki River in Otago, South Island, New Zealand.

Waitaki River, river in central South Island, New Zealand. Streams issuing from Lakes Ohau, Pukaki, and Tekapo in the Southern Alps form the Waitaki (Maori: “Weeping Waters”), which, draining a 4,565-square-mile (11,823-square-kilometre) basin, flows southeast for 130 miles (209 km) to enter the Pacific at Glenavy, about 70 miles (113 km) north of Dunedin. The Waitaki River Power Development, which includes several large dams, is one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the nation.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title: Waitaki River
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 14 February 2022
Access Date: February 23, 2025