Wilberforce River | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | New Zealand |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Southern Alps |
Mouth | |
• location | Rakaia River |
The Wilberforce River is a river in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It is located in western Canterbury and is naturally a tributary of the Rakaia River, [1] but like the Harper River, it has had some of its flow diverted into Lake Coleridge as part of a hydroelectricity project. This diversion boosted the output of the Coleridge Power Station and was established in 1977. [2]
An early proposal for the route of the Midland Line railway from Christchurch to Westland involved extending the Whitecliffs Branch to the West Coast via the Wilberforce River and Browning Pass / Nōti Raureka. This was one of the proposals rejected in favour of a route via Arthur's Pass. [3]
43°20′S 171°26′E / 43.333°S 171.433°E