{{short description|River in New Zealand}} {{about|the river in New Zealand|the river in Scotland|River Nevis}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} thumb|Nevis River from Nevis bungy platform [[File:NevisBluff.jpg|thumb|Nevis Bluff as seen from SH 6]] The '''Nevis River''' is in Otago, New Zealand. It flows north for {{convert|40|km|mi}} through rough country before meeting the Kawarau River, of which it is a tributary. A prominent rock outcrop close to this junction is known as the Nevis Bluff.
==Etymology== The river was named by Donald Angus Cameron.<ref name="goldendays">{{cite book | last=Miller | first=Frederick Walter Gascoyne | title=Golden Days of Lake County | publisher=Whitcombe and Tombs | publication-place=Christchurch | date=1973 | isbn=978-0-7233-0194-3|edition=5th|page=7 }}</ref>
==History== The river was one of the sites of the Otago gold rush of the 1860s. Today, the region around the river is known for tourism and wine production. New Zealand's highest bungy jumping operation, the {{convert|134|m|ft|adj=on}} Nevis Highwire is above the river.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bungy.co.nz/the-nevis/the-nevis-bungy|title=The Nevis Bungy|publisher=A.J. Hackett Bungy|accessdate=15 February 2011}}</ref>
A Water Conservation Order protects the river for its wild and scenic character and for recreational use, especially fishing and kayaking.<ref>{{cite web| title=WATER CONSERVATION (KAWARAU) ORDER 1997| publisher=New Zealand Government| date=17 March 1997| url=http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/regs/regs/text/1997/1997038.txt| format=text| accessdate=2008-07-18| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014111922/http://rangi.knowledge-basket.co.nz/regs/regs/text/1997/1997038.txt| archivedate=14 October 2008}}</ref> The Water Conservation Order made provision for damming the river for hydro-electric development. Fish and Game New Zealand applied to have this provision revoked<ref>{{cite web| title=Kawarau Water Conservation Order special tribunal announced| publisher=New Zealand Government| date=16 July 2008| url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/kawarau+water+conservation+order+special+tribunal+announced| accessdate=2008-07-18}}</ref> and in 2013, after a public process with consideration by a special tribunal and the Environment Court, the Environment Minister decided to prevent damming of the river.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/minister-acts-prevent-damming-nevis-river| title=Minister acts to prevent damming on Nevis River| first=Amy| last=Adams| date=1 November 2013}}</ref>
Nokomai patterned mire, in the upper catchment, is part of a relatively unmodified wetland on several square kilometres of the southern Garvie Mountains.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2013 |title=DOC wants to seek international recognition for Taieri Scroll Plain |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-releases/2013/doc-wants-to-seek-international-recognition-for-taieri-scroll-plain/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Department of Conservation |language=en-nz}}</ref> It is possibly the largest such area in Australasia and is dominated by grasses, sedges and mosses, with shallow pools, small islands and clumps of low vegetation. The mire drains north via Roaring Lion Creek to the Nevis and south via Dome Burn to the Waikaia River.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A. F. Mark, P. N. Johnson, K. J. M. Dickinson & M. S. McGlone |date=March 1995 |title=Southern hemisphere patterned mires, with emphasis on southern New Zealand |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03014223.1995.9517481}}</ref> A small part of the mire is in the Nokomai catchment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mount Tennyson, Southland |url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz17788/Mount-Tennyson/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=NZ Topo Map |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{commons category}} {{Reflist}}
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Category:Rivers of Otago Category:Rivers of New Zealand