The Waimakariri catchment : Visit by the Australian Standing Committee on Soil Conservation, 19 September 1975

Abstract

The total area of the Waimakariri Catchment is 367,200 hectares of which 234,300 hectares are westward of the plains. Seventy-nine (79%) percent of the catchment is steeplands with slopes of more than 15°. The altitudes range from 250 metres at the Gorge Bridge to 2,400 metres at Mt Murchison. The average annual rainfall varies from 890 mm to 5,100 mm (35"-200"). Grasslands occupy 43%, forest 29%, scrublands 4%, bare rock, scree and herb field 20%, with lakes and riverbed about 3% of the catchment areas. Nearly 50% of the catchment is classed as severely to extremely eroded. Fifty-five (55%) percent of the catchment is used for agriculture and grazing. Of this, eleven runs occupy 121,348 hectares.