Cox River (New Zealand) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cox River |
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Location of the mouth within New Zealand
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Crawford Range 1,250 m (4,100 ft) |
| River mouth | Poulter River 540 m (1,770 ft) |
| Length | 29 km (18 mi) |
The Cox River is a river found in the Canterbury area of New Zealand. It starts high up in the Crawford Range, which is part of the Southern Alps mountain range. From there, it flows mostly south through the beautiful Arthur's Pass National Park. Eventually, it joins another river called the Poulter River. The river was named after J. W. M. Cox, who owned land near where the Cox River and Bull Creek meet back in the 1860s.
How the River Changed Over Time
Long, long ago, before the big ice ages, the Cox River flowed through a valley called the Pūkio Stream valley. It used to empty into the Esk River, which then joined the larger Waimakariri River.
The Ice Age Effect
During the Pleistocene period, which was a time of many ice ages, huge glaciers moved across the land. One of these was the Cox glacier. As this glacier slowly melted and moved, it left behind large piles of rocks and dirt. These piles are called terminal moraines. These moraines blocked the old path of the Cox River.
Because its old path was blocked, the river had to find a new way to flow. It carved out a new route through a rocky canyon called McArthur Gorge. This new path led the river to the main Poulter valley, where it now joins the Poulter River.
