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
Hutt River (New Zealand) the Ewen Bridge down to the Waione Bridge and back. The river was named "Hutt" after Sir William Hutt, chairman of the New Zealand Company. Early Māori residents, such as Ngāi Tara, called it Te Awakairangi. Later Māori settlers named it Te Wai o Orutu after Orutu, a Ngāti Mamoe ancestor. By the time European settlers arrived, Māori called it Heretaunga, a name adopted by an Upper Hutt suburb and secondary school. The river has a good stock of brown trout. Hutt River (New Zealand) The Hutt River (Māori:"Te Awakairangi", "Te Wai o Orutu" or "Heretaunga") flows through the southern