Ruamāhanga River at Kokotau
The Ruamāhanga at Kokotau is located near Ponatahi and is accessed from Kokotau Road via a gravel road immediately before the Kokotau Bridge. It is used for swimming, trout fishing and picnicking.
This site is monitored as a part of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Recreational Water Quality Programme, which is specifically designed to inform the public about the suitability of various sites across the region for swimming and other recreational activities.
The safety of water for swimming is determined by measuring ‘faecal indicator bacteria’ (E. coli) which indicates the likely levels of pathogens in the water. Monitoring is conducted on a weekly basis over the summer months (December to March).
It is generally safe to swim at this site during dry weather. However the site is known to be affected by faecal contamination from rural and urban run-off following heavy or prolonged rainfall. We therefore advise people not to swim for at least two days after heavy rain.
This site can also be affected by cyanobacteria (also known as “toxic algae”) blooms during the summer. For the latest water quality information, please go to the Greater Wellington Regional Council website, or check out the latest recreational water quality reports.