Poerua River (Westland District) facts for kids
The Poerua River is a cool river found in the Westland District on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It starts high up in the Southern Alps mountains and flows all the way to the Tasman Sea, close to the town of Harihari.
About the Poerua River
The Poerua River is a popular spot for fishing. People love to catch trout and salmon here. The river's mouth, where it meets the sea, is also where the Hinatua River joins it. It's about one kilometer south of where the Wanganui River also meets the sea.
The 1999 Landslide Event
Something interesting happened at the Poerua River on October 6, 1999. A big landslide came down from Mount Adams. This landslide actually blocked the river! It created a natural dam, called a landslide dam. This dam was about 11 kilometers upstream from a bridge over the river.
People were worried that the dam might break and cause big floods. But luckily, when the dam finally broke open six days later, the impact was not too bad. A lot of coarse gravel was washed downstream, and the river's path changed a little in some places. But the damage was much less than feared.
