Rivers of New Zealand Rivers of New Zealand The rivers of New Zealand are used for a variety of purposes and face a number of environmental issues. Many of the rivers in the South Island are braided rivers. The longest river in New Zealand is the Waikato River with a length of . The largest river by volume is the Clutha River with a mean discharge of . Some of the rivers, especially those with wide flood plains and stop banks, have long road bridges spanning them. The Rakaia River is crossed by the longest bridge in New Zealand at . The third longest
Blue River (New Zealand) Blue River (New Zealand) The Blue River is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand. It flows its entire length within the Mount Aspiring National Park, and although on the southeastern side of the main divide, the river is within the boundaries of the West Coast region for its entire length. The headwaters are southeast of the main range of the Southern Alps near the mountain Eyetooth, with the smaller Blue River North Branch and South Branch joining the main Blue River later. Shortly before flowing into the Makarora River, the river passes through a narrow gorge.