page_title: Waipa River
section_title: Bridges
hierarchical_section_title: Waipa River / Bridges
caption_attribution_description: English: rebuilt 1957
context_page_description: The Waipa River is in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. The headwaters are in the Rangitoto Range east of Te Kuiti. It flows north for 115 kilometres, passing through Otorohanga and Pirongia, before flowing into the Waikato River at Ngāruawāhia. It is the Waikato's largest tributary. The Waipa's main tributary is the Puniu River.
  In the headwaters upstream of Otorohanga the river can be very clear during low flow conditions. This section of the river flows through rough farmland and patches of native bush. In this clearer part of the river there can be very good fly fishing for trout, but you'll need to ask the land owners permission to access the river.
  The Waipa is prone to flooding in its lower reaches as flood flows can be over 100 times—20 to 560 m³/s —those of dry flows and the river can rise up to 11 m.
  In 2013 Maniapoto Māori Trust Board and the riparian local councils set up a joint management agreement for the river, following the passing of Nga Wai o Maniapoto Act 2012.
context_section_description: Listed in order from the confluence with the Waikato and moving south they are:-
  1898 Ngāruawāhia bridge opened. Collapsed under a mob of cattle 20 December 1916 (see 1917 photo) and rebuilt in 1922 with three 110 ft (34 m) trusses. The bridges were preceded by a punt (see 1922 photo), supplied by the government in 1887. A new bridge was opened on 18 January 1974.
  1914-1958 Waipa Railway and Coal Co.  21 metres (70 ft) long bridge.
  1881 (20 April) Whatawhata bridge, originally wooden and 160 m (520 ft) long and 15 ft (4.6 m) above high water mark, consisted of two spans of  24 m (80 ft), 7 of 40 and 4 of  6.1 m (20 ft), and cost £3700. Repairs were done in 1909, but it was in poor repair again by 1917. For £11,250 a new truss bridge was built over the top of it in 1924. The current SH23 concrete bridge, which is south of the original site, was shown on the 1974 edition of the 1 inch Lands & Survey map, but not on the 1965 3rd edition. Records of the road structure show it dates from 1971, which is probably the date of the bridge. The bridge replaced a punt, which had operated from 1867.
  1881 (12 August)  120-metre (400 ft) long Te Rore bridge. Replaced 1957. In the 1958 flood, only the handrails were visible.
  1865 (about) Alexandra Bridge, Baffin St, Pirongia, originally built by the army. Pukehoua Bridge was built 600 m (660 yd) upstream in 1912–13 to replace the 1865 bridge, which was damaged by floods and by 1909 was only fit for pedestrians and light traffic. Public Works Department estimated its cost at £4,500, £1,500 coming from Government and £3,000 from Waipa (50%), Raglan (30%) and Waitomo (20%) councils.
  1882 Alexandra Bridge, McClure St, Whatiwhatihoe, Pirongia."Mr. Wright has superintended the construction of the Alexandra Bridge, over the Waipa River, to give access to Tāwhiao's new settlement, Whatiwhatihoe (see map), and which will at the same time eventually be on the main line leading into the King country. The bridge will be open now in a fortnights' time, it consists of six 7.3 m (24 ft) spans, and three 12 m (40 ft) trusses, a total length of 80 m (264 ft), the height being 13 m (42 ft) above ordinary river level. The approaches and about a mile of road, and a large culvert have been made by Mr. Wright, with Maori labor. The whole will have been completed at a cost of about £1,800." There was a plan to replace it in 1939. SH39 now crosses on a 112.8-metre-long (370 ft) 1953 bridge.
  1915 Te Kawa Rd bridge  100 metres (340 ft) long, 12 metres (40 ft) high.
  Kawhia Rd, Otorohanga, SH31/SH39 cross on a 147.5-metre-long (484 ft) 1964 bridge.
  Maniapoto St, Otorohanga photo about 1910 SH3 now crosses on a 51.8-metre-long (170 ft) 1964 bridge. It replaced a bridge built in the early 1950s.
  1887 North Island Main Trunk railway bridge.
  1928 Toa Bridge, Otewa Rd.
caption: Te Rore bridge from south
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