Tongariro River

Tongariro River
Looking south towards the Hydro Pool
Location
Country	New Zealand
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Tongariro National Park
Mouth
• location	Lake Taupō
• elevation	356 m (1,168 ft)

The Tongariro River is a river in the North Island of New Zealand. The part of the Waikato River from the Waihohonu Stream, down to Lake Taupō, was formally named the Tongariro River in 1945.^[1] The river originates in the Central Plateau of the North Island where it is fed by numerous tributaries (such as the Whitikau, Poutu, and Mangamawhitiwhiti streams) that flow off the surrounding hill ranges and mountains such as Mount Ruapehu. It then winds its way north, through the township of Tūrangi before entering Lake Taupō via a number of river mouths. The minimum volume of water flowing down the lower Tongariro River ranges from approximately 16 cubic metres per second (570 cu ft/s) (recorded at the upper rivers Poutu Intake)^[2] to 21 cubic metres per second (740 cu ft/s) (recorded at the lower rivers Major Jones Pool).^[3] This volume can substantially increase due to catchment of rainfall by the surrounding mountains and hill ranges.