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![a) Contours along the Rakaia River. Note from southeast to northwest 1) the entrenchment near the coast, which decreases inland; 2) the zone of null erosion or approximate positions of two knick points, 3) valley entrenchment, which increases landwards due to tectonic uplift. Note also how the valley widens seaward. b) Longitudinal profile of the Rakaia River. Inset shows detail for lower 12 km of the reach. Data from Department of Lands and Survey, New Zealand 1:50,000 topographic maps.]()
![The coastline from Rakaia River mouth to Kaitorete Barrier showing postulated successive Holocene shorelines. Modified from Armon (1974). Kaitorete Barrier is prograding whereas the coast to the south is being transgressed. Numbers refer to successive shoreline positions through time (“1” being the oldest).]()
![—Elevation of contours along the Rakaia River. Note the following from southeast to northwest: the entrenchment near the coast that decreases inland, the zone of minimal erosion, and the valley entrenchment that increases landward due to tectonic and isostatic uplift. Also note how the valley widens seaward. The contour interval is irregular.]()
![—Inland river reaches of the Canterbury Plains. (a) Incised valley at Rakaia Gorge produced by tectonic and isostatic uplift of the Southern Alps. Mount Hutt in background. Notice unmatched terraces cut by meandering thalweg of the Rakaia River. (b) Mixed gravel and sand braided Rakaia River.]()
![—River mouths along Canterbury Bight. The coastline is retrogradational and all rivers transport gravel to the coast. (a) Rakaia River mouth. Note the braiding continuing directly to the sea, the gravel spit across the river mouth, and the northward deflection of riverine flow at the mouth. (b, c) Rakaia River mouth. The river is entrenched about 8 m into the flood plain on the south side of the river. (d) Ashburton River mouth.]()
![a) Waimakariri River and narrow constriction at the Waimakariri Gorge. b) Rakaia River and narrow constriction at Rakaia Gorge.]()
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![Distribution characteristics of modern sandy braided river channel bars and active braided channels. (a) Yellow River, (b) Yukon River, (c) Jamuna River, (d) Rakaia River, (e) Ganges River, (f) Lena River, (g) Lhasa River, (h) Waitaki River, and (i) Brahmaputra River. Wbb: width of braided bar; Lbb: length of braided bar; Wbc: width of braided channel; Wbr: width of braided river.]()
![Sand-provenance model. Based on Bender-Whitaker et al. (2018), it distinguishes between the main sediment sources in the study area. Clutha River (schist provenance): QFL%Q > 50%, MicaLGHG%LG < 10%, MicaLGHG%Mica > 50%; Rangitata and Rakaia rivers: QFL%Q < 50%, MicaLGHG%Mica < 50%, MicaLGHG%LG > 40%; and Waitaki River (Torlesse–schist transition): QFL%Q < 50%, MicaLGHG%HG > 80%, MicaLGHG%Mica < 5%. Modified from Bender-Whitaker et al. (2018).]()
![Transgressive coastline of Canterbury Bight. a) Mouth of Ashburton River. Turbid plumes occur where the river mouth discharges directly into Canterbury Bight and through the porous gravels of river-mouth spit. b) Fluvial cut, transgressive cliffs at mouth of Ashburton River. The Ashburton River is flowing parallel to the sea, between the barrier and cliff. c) Ashburton River flowing parallel to coastline with barrier on seaward side of river. d) Narrow mouth of Ashburton River. Much of the fluvial discharge has escaped through the spit. Waves are breaking on gravels deposited at mouth of river. e) Narrow mouth of Rakaia River. f) Well sorted gravel on barrier across mouth of Ashburton River.]()
![—Retrogradational cliffed coastline of Canterbury Bight. (a) Cliffed gravelly coastline of Canterbury Bight near Ashburton River mouth. The cliff is about 22 m high. (b) Incised channel (abandoned) cut into cliffs of Pleistocene sediment near Ashburton River mouth. As an example of the retrogradational nature of the coast line, notice the fence hanging in space over the cliff. The cliff is about 22 m high. (c) Incised channel cut into cliffs of Pleistocene sediment near Ashburton River mouth. (d) Cliffed, retrogradational coastline of Canterbury Bight between the mouths of the Ashburton and Rakaia rivers. The cliffs are approximately 25 m high in this area. (e) Ashburton River mouth. Note how the river mouth is deflected north of the main channel by longshore drift.]()
![Illustration of interpretation and depth conversion of the 99‐103 line from the Indopacific IP256‐99 survey located in the Rakaia River area, including the location of two‐tie line intersections with the 98‐004 and 98‐001 lines of the Indopacific IP256‐98 survey, in which checks are carried out for consistency between the lines. The BPV are identified in the reflection line. (a) The uninterpreted reflection line in TWTT to show the common starting point for seismic reflection line processing for this study; (b) the interpreted reflection line in TWTT with marker horizons and faults; and (c) the depth‐converted interpreted reflection line. All lines have 5× vertical exaggeration.The color version of this figure is available only in the electronic edition.]()
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![a) Cliffed coastline between Rakaia and Ashburton rivers. b) Cliffed coastline from abandoned channel of Ashburton River. To get an idea of the rate of coastal erosion, notice fence post hanging over cliff in top right of photo, or project fence in foreground into open space in front of cliff.]()
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Rakaia River
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Image
a) Contours along the Rakaia River. Note from southeast to northwest 1) th... Available to Purchase
in Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings
> Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Published: 01 December 2003
Fig. 10. a) Contours along the Rakaia River. Note from southeast to northwest 1) the entrenchment near the coast, which decreases inland; 2) the zone of null erosion or approximate positions of two knick points, 3) valley entrenchment, which increases landwards due to tectonic uplift. Note
Image
The coastline from Rakaia River mouth to Kaitorete Barrier showing postulat... Available to Purchase
in Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings
> Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Published: 01 December 2003
Fig. 20. The coastline from Rakaia River mouth to Kaitorete Barrier showing postulated successive Holocene shorelines. Modified from Armon (1974) . Kaitorete Barrier is prograding whereas the coast to the south is being transgressed. Numbers refer to successive shoreline positions through time
Image
—Elevation of contours along the Rakaia River. Note the following from sout... Available to Purchase
Published: 01 August 1994
Figure 8 —Elevation of contours along the Rakaia River. Note the following from southeast to northwest: the entrenchment near the coast that decreases inland, the zone of minimal erosion, and the valley entrenchment that increases landward due to tectonic and isostatic uplift. Also note how
Image
—Inland river reaches of the Canterbury Plains. (a) Incised valley at Rakai... Available to Purchase
Published: 01 August 1994
Figure 7 —Inland river reaches of the Canterbury Plains. (a) Incised valley at Rakaia Gorge produced by tectonic and isostatic uplift of the Southern Alps. Mount Hutt in background. Notice unmatched terraces cut by meandering thalweg of the Rakaia River. (b) Mixed gravel and sand braided Rakaia
Image
—River mouths along Canterbury Bight. The coastline is retrogradational and... Available to Purchase
Published: 01 August 1994
Figure 6 —River mouths along Canterbury Bight. The coastline is retrogradational and all rivers transport gravel to the coast. (a) Rakaia River mouth. Note the braiding continuing directly to the sea, the gravel spit across the river mouth, and the northward deflection of riverine flow
Image
a) Waimakariri River and narrow constriction at the Waimakariri Gorge. b) ... Available to Purchase
in Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings
> Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Published: 01 December 2003
Fig. 9. a) Waimakariri River and narrow constriction at the Waimakariri Gorge. b) Rakaia River and narrow constriction at Rakaia Gorge.
Journal Article
Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings Available to Purchase
Publisher: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists
Published: 01 December 2003
Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology (2003) 51 (4): 389–425.
...Fig. 10. a) Contours along the Rakaia River. Note from southeast to northwest 1) the entrenchment near the coast, which decreases inland; 2) the zone of null erosion or approximate positions of two knick points, 3) valley entrenchment, which increases landwards due to tectonic uplift. Note...
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Journal Article
Subdivision of Holocene glacial deposits, Ben Ohau Range, New Zealand, using relative-dating methods Available to Purchase
Journal: GSA Bulletin
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Published: 01 May 1982
GSA Bulletin (1982) 93 (5): 433–449.
... glaciers, especially of Jacks Stream and Ferintosh ages, are common to the south. In some areas, rock glaciers that have long been inactive have recently been reactivated. Data from moraines in the Waimakariri Drainage and the Mount Cook, Cameron Valley, and Rakaia River areas improve previous correlations...
Image
Distribution characteristics of modern sandy braided river channel bars and... Open Access
in Reservoir Modeling of Braided River Reservoirs Based on Geological Knowledge Database: A Case Study of P 1 x Formation of the Daniudi Gas Field, Ordos Basin, China
> Lithosphere
Published: 13 October 2022
Figure 3 Distribution characteristics of modern sandy braided river channel bars and active braided channels. (a) Yellow River, (b) Yukon River, (c) Jamuna River, (d) Rakaia River, (e) Ganges River, (f) Lena River, (g) Lhasa River, (h) Waitaki River, and (i) Brahmaputra River. Wbb: width
Image
Sand-provenance model. Based on Bender-Whitaker et al. (2018) , it disting... Available to Purchase
in Grain size matters: late Quaternary dynamics of a sediment-routing system in Canterbury Basin, South Island, New Zealand
> Journal of Sedimentary Research
Published: 06 May 2025
Fig. 7. Sand-provenance model. Based on Bender-Whitaker et al. (2018) , it distinguishes between the main sediment sources in the study area. Clutha River (schist provenance): QFL%Q > 50%, MicaLGHG%LG < 10%, MicaLGHG%Mica > 50%; Rangitata and Rakaia rivers: QFL%Q < 50%, MicaLGHG%Mica
Image
Transgressive coastline of Canterbury Bight. a) Mouth of Ashburton River.... Available to Purchase
in Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings
> Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Published: 01 December 2003
at mouth of river. e) Narrow mouth of Rakaia River. f) Well sorted gravel on barrier across mouth of Ashburton River.
Image
—Retrogradational cliffed coastline of Canterbury Bight. (a) Cliffed gravel... Available to Purchase
Published: 01 August 1994
and Rakaia rivers. The cliffs are approximately 25 m high in this area. (e) Ashburton River mouth. Note how the river mouth is deflected north of the main channel by longshore drift.
Image
Illustration of interpretation and depth conversion of the 99‐103 line from... Available to Purchase
in Development of a 3D Velocity Model of the Canterbury, New Zealand, Region for Broadband Ground‐Motion Simulation
> Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
Published: 25 September 2017
Figure 4. Illustration of interpretation and depth conversion of the 99‐103 line from the Indopacific IP256‐99 survey located in the Rakaia River area, including the location of two‐tie line intersections with the 98‐004 and 98‐001 lines of the Indopacific IP256‐98 survey, in which checks
Journal Article
Canterbury Plains, New Zealand—Implications for Sequence Stratigraphic Models Available to Purchase
Journal: AAPG Bulletin
Publisher: American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Published: 01 August 1994
AAPG Bulletin (1994) 78 (8): 1240–1256.
...Figure 8 —Elevation of contours along the Rakaia River. Note the following from southeast to northwest: the entrenchment near the coast that decreases inland, the zone of minimal erosion, and the valley entrenchment that increases landward due to tectonic and isostatic uplift. Also note how...
FIGURES
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Journal Article
Reservoir Modeling of Braided River Reservoirs Based on Geological Knowledge Database: A Case Study of P 1 x Formation of the Daniudi Gas Field, Ordos Basin, China Open Access
Journal: Lithosphere
Publisher: GSW
Published: 13 October 2022
Lithosphere (2022) 2022 (Special 13): 6913641.
...Figure 3 Distribution characteristics of modern sandy braided river channel bars and active braided channels. (a) Yellow River, (b) Yukon River, (c) Jamuna River, (d) Rakaia River, (e) Ganges River, (f) Lena River, (g) Lhasa River, (h) Waitaki River, and (i) Brahmaputra River. Wbb: width...
FIGURES
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Journal Article
Development of a 3D Velocity Model of the Canterbury, New Zealand, Region for Broadband Ground‐Motion Simulation Available to Purchase
Publisher: Seismological Society of America
Published: 25 September 2017
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (2017) 107 (5): 2131–2150.
...Figure 4. Illustration of interpretation and depth conversion of the 99‐103 line from the Indopacific IP256‐99 survey located in the Rakaia River area, including the location of two‐tie line intersections with the 98‐004 and 98‐001 lines of the Indopacific IP256‐98 survey, in which checks...
FIGURES
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Includes: Supplemental Content
Image
a) Cliffed coastline between Rakaia and Ashburton rivers. b) Cliffed coa... Available to Purchase
in Modern environments of the Canterbury Plains and adjacent offshore areas, New Zealand — an analog for ancient conglomeratic depositional systems in nonmarine and coastal zone settings
> Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Published: 01 December 2003
Fig. 12. a) Cliffed coastline between Rakaia and Ashburton rivers. b) Cliffed coastline from abandoned channel of Ashburton River. To get an idea of the rate of coastal erosion, notice fence post hanging over cliff in top right of photo, or project fence in foreground into open space
Journal Article
Jim, We'll Miss You! Available to Purchase
Published: 01 August 2008
Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2008) 14 (3): 237–238.
... he proved that work and pleasure could mix. We fished for trout in the Angleton River, and Jim caught a 30-kilogram King Salmon from the Rakaia River. Those New Zealand experiences, and the fact that I had been invited to give a talk in New Zealand on geologic hazard mitigation, were factors in my...
Journal Article
Grain size matters: late Quaternary dynamics of a sediment-routing system in Canterbury Basin, South Island, New Zealand Available to Purchase
Journal: Journal of Sedimentary Research
Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
Published: 06 May 2025
Journal of Sedimentary Research (2025) 95 (3): 445–461.
...Fig. 7. Sand-provenance model. Based on Bender-Whitaker et al. (2018) , it distinguishes between the main sediment sources in the study area. Clutha River (schist provenance): QFL%Q > 50%, MicaLGHG%LG < 10%, MicaLGHG%Mica > 50%; Rangitata and Rakaia rivers: QFL%Q < 50%, MicaLGHG%Mica...
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Includes: Supplemental Content
Book Chapter
Study of connectivity of open framework gravel facies in the Canterbury Plains aquifer using smoke as a tracer Available to Purchase
Book: Geology and Geomorphology of Alluvial and Fluvial Fans: Terrestrial and Planetary Perspectives
Series: Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Publisher: Geological Society of London
Published: 01 January 2018
DOI: 10.1144/SP440.10
EISBN: 9781786203809
... ; Brown 2001 ). Our field study was made at the sea cliff exposures at Kyle (43.9433° S, 172.0678° E), located 12 km south of the Rakaia River mouth ( Fig. 1 ) and c. 50 km from the range front of the Southern Alps. The coastline at Kyle is retrograding at a rate of c. 1 m a −1 ( Gibb 1978...
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