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Story: Water quality

Shaded waterway

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Shaded waterway

Many New Zealand rivers, especially in the North Island, were originally lined with bush. The shade maintained cool water temperatures suitable for insect and fish life. This section of the Eastern Hutt River is an example.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Jock Phillips

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How to cite this page

Mike Scarsbrook and Kit Rutherford, Water quality – Water pollution, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15523/shaded-waterway (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Mike Scarsbrook and Kit Rutherford, published 1 March 2009, updated 18 July 2016.