Hooker River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hooker River |
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Hooker River in front of Aoraki / Mount Cook
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Hooker Glacier 877 m (2,877 ft) 43°41′18″S 170°06′00″E / 43.688400°S 170.100000°E |
| River mouth | Tasman River 655 m (2,149 ft) 43°45′08″S 170°09′10″E / 43.7522°S 170.1528°E |
| Length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
The Hooker River is a beautiful river found in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It begins its journey from Hooker Lake, a lake formed by the melting ice of the Hooker Glacier. This glacier is located on the southern slopes of Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. After flowing for about 3 kilometers, the river passes through Mueller Glacier Lake. Here, it collects even more water from melting glaciers. Finally, it joins the braided streams of the Tasman River, which also flows from a glacier lake.
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The Hooker River: A Glacier's Journey
The Hooker River plays a very important role. It carries away the meltwater from both the Hooker and Mueller Glaciers. This makes it the main way these huge ice masses lose water.
Why is the Water So Milky?
The water in the Hooker River has a unique milky, bluish-light grey color. This is because of tiny rock particles floating in it. These particles are called rock flour. They are created when glaciers grind against rocks as they move. The river carries a lot of this rock flour. About 20,000 cubic meters of sediment are transported by the river each year.
Walking Along the River
The entire Hooker River flows within the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. It's very easy to visit because it runs through the flat Hooker Valley. This valley is a popular spot for tourists in the park.
There are three pedestrian suspension bridges that cross the river. These bridges are part of the Hooker Valley Track, which is the most popular walking path in the area. Another path leads further downstream along the river. It goes to Tasman Valley Road, where a small one-lane road bridge crosses the Hooker River just before it enters the Tasman Valley.
How the River Got its Name
The Hooker River, along with other geographic features in the area, was named by Julius von Haast. He was a geologist from the Canterbury Province in New Zealand. He named these places after William Jackson Hooker, a famous English botanist.
