Mo ngā awa te aroha, he waiaroha — For the love of rivers
The Mangahao awa rises in the Tararua Range and runs through the Mangahao Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. For paddlers, the river matters because of its releases: scheduled flows that make the river run, and that have supported whitewater paddling on the Mangahao, including the whitewater park on the river.
Regular recreational releases are currently suspended. A replacement gate has been built and is expected to be installed in 2027, which would allow releases to resume.
Last updated: June 2026.
The reconsenting of the scheme is now in the Fast-track process. This is the consent that shapes the future of Mangahao flows and releases over the long term. We are following it closely and engaging with the relevant stakeholders to secure the best outcome for whitewater users.
The Mangahao is the river behind the Mangahao Fund. Under an agreement between the scheme’s energy companies and Whitewater NZ, funds are paid to WWNZ until regular releases are reinstated or the resource consent expires. That fund now supports clubs and projects the length of the country.
The reconsent decides what the river looks like for paddlers for years to come: whether releases resume and continue, and what flows and access are protected. That is why we are at the table.
We are engaging with the relevant stakeholders to secure the resumption of releases and to protect flows and access for paddlers through the reconsent. We are following the Fast-track process and will keep members informed as it moves.
