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Awa of Aotearoa
In Aotearoa you are never far from awa (rivers). For a small country Aotearoa has a large number of awa. This is because of our regular rainfall and our mountains.
Mountains and rainfall
Mountains and weather affect the formation of awa. There are many mountains and hills in Aotearoa. These high areas can be windy and receive high rainfall.
Some moisture falls as snow in the mountains because the higher you go the colder it gets. A lot of the water from rain and snow seeps into the ground. This water is slowly released back to the surface as it flows downhill in streams and awa.
Because Aotearoa has mild temperatures less precipitation is evaporated so awa remain high for most of the year. Unlike many countries, which lose 70% of their precipitation through evaporation, Aotearoa loses on average just 30%.
Awa or river levels change during the year. Most awa have lower average flows during dry summers. In the South Island snow melt affects awa. Snow-fed awa have the lowest flows during winter and spring, before the snow melts.
Geology
Rivers can be shaped by
- glaciers
- earthquakes
- volcanoes
The headwaters of most of the major awa in Te Waipounamu – the South Island were once glaciers. During ice ages, glaciers moved down the mountains, carving out river valleys, and carrying down glacial gravels (called outwash). The Canterbury Plains were formed from outwash gravels, which also created the wide beds of braided awa such as the Rakaia.
Earthquakes and volcanic activity can affect the course of awa. Wherever faulting occurs and there is enough water flow, awa will follow faults. Earthquakes can cause landslides which can dam rivers or change their course.
Rocks and awa
Awa are affected by rock type. Soft rocks like mud and sandstone are easily worn away so awa can form deep, wide channels. Harder rocks like schist lead to steeper faster flowing awa with large boulders and rapids.
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> Discover more about water and restoring awa in Aotearoa