Newsflash: This morning, Meridian Energy announced it would withdraw its plan to dam this wild West Coast river. For more details see here
Nestled under the western shoulder of Kahurangi National Park, the Mokihinui is the West Coast’s third largest river, draining the vast uplands and mountains of the Lyell, Radiant, Allen, Glasgow and Matiri Ranges.
Falling steeply through granite and limestone gorges, emerging to meander across open flats, before gathering all its waters together the Mohikinui makes a determined charge for the coast through a steep earthquake-shattered gorge.
Flanked by beech forests, ancient podocarps, riotous displays of rata, and rimu festooned with kiekie, the river alternately dashes across granite and greywacke boulders, and glides through deep pools, as it twists and turns through the gorge.
Living in the river are blue duck (whio), longfin eel, giant kokopu, and a rich array of other native species. The river and surrounding forest land provide habitat for 16 threatened species. Long-tailed bats, western weka, kereru, and powelliphanta snails inhabit this ecological niche.
New Zealand’s own database of water-bodies of national importance ranks the Mokihinui 7th for its natural values.
A Watery Death: The Meridian Dam
At the mouth of this deeply incised granite gorge, Meridian Energy proposed a vast hydro scheme –an 85 metre high dam that would have radically changing this spectacular gorge. Recently this state-owned enterprise was given resource consent to go ahead with this proposal.
If the dam went ahead, fourteen kilometres of gorge would have disappeared under 80 metres of water; 330 hectares of river bed and forest would have been flooded; habitat lost again! All in the name of ‘generating more power’.
Forest & Bird, along with DOC and other NGOs had started the expensive and time-consuming task of appealing the environment court's decision to proceed with the dam until the plan was abandoned by Meridian.
Blue Duck (whio)
The Blue Duck (whio) thrives in our fast-flowing rivers such as the Mohikinui. It is one of only two torrent ducks in the world. Damming the river would have destroyed their prized habitat
Powelliphanta or giant land snail
Our ancient threatened Powelliphanta or giant land snails are carnivorous, and largely confined to the north west of the South Island. A dam would have flooded all of their lowland habitat, and interrupted their natural process of colonising through the gorge in flood events
Longfin eels
Longfin eels can live to over 100 years old, and migrate downstream once in their life to reproduce at sea. The dam would haved blocked migration. Eels are on the decline throughout the country due to loss of habitat through dams.
Western weka
Western weka are incredibly inquisitive native birds. Decline of weka populations in recent years has been dramatic. The gorge offers a valuable home for these iconic species. Great spotted kiwi also rummage through the forest floors here too.
