View source for Waihemo / Shag River

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Waihemo / Shag River
| native_name        ={{native name|mi|Waihemo}}
| name_other         = 
| name_etymology     = The [[Māori language|Māori]] name ''Waihemo'' means "river that has gone away" <br /> Early whalers named the river ''Shag'' after the [[Great cormorant|seabird]]
| nickname           = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE-->
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<!---------------------- MAPS -->
| map                = 
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| pushpin_map        = New Zealand
| pushpin_map_size   = 270px
| pushpin_map_caption= Mouth of Waihemo / Shag River
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = New Zealand
| subdivision_type2  = Region
| subdivision_name2  = [[Otago]]
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| length             = {{convert|75|km||abbr=on}}
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<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = [[Kakanui Range]]
| source1_location   = 
| source1_coordinates= <!-- {{Coord|...}} -->
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| mouth_location     = 
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|45|29|S|170|49|E|display=title,inline|region:NZ_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}
| mouth_elevation    = [[Sea level]]
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}}
The '''Waihemo / Shag River''' is located in [[Otago]] in the [[South Island]] of New Zealand.<ref name="LINZ">{{LINZ|59663|Shag River / Waihemo |3 September 2021}}</ref> It rises in the [[Kakanui Range]], flowing southeast for {{convert|75|km||abbr=on}},<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|last2=|first2=|last3=|first3=|last4=|first4=|date=26 August 2021|title=Dual name altered for Shag River (Waihemo)|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2108/S00471/dual-name-altered-for-shag-river-waihemo.htm|access-date=2021-09-29|website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref> or {{convert|50|km|mi}} before reaching the [[Pacific Ocean]] on the south side of [[Shag Point / Matakaea]], {{convert|7.5|km||abbr=on}} east of [[Palmerston, New Zealand|Palmerston]].<ref name=":0" /> The [[Dunback and Makareao Branches|Dunback Branch]] [[railway]] that operated from the 1880s to 1989 largely followed the route of the river from its junction with the [[Main South Line]] near [[Shag Point|Shag Point township]] to its terminus in [[Dunback]].

The small- to medium-sized river has been adversely affected over the past decades by farming practices in the area. Much of its length is overgrown with [[willow]]s, and during the summer its flow can become significantly reduced.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.nzfishing.com/FishingWaters/Otago/OTFishingWaters/OTShag.htm |title= Shag River fishing-Shag River trout fishing-nzfishing |website=www.nzfishing.com |access-date= 2018-07-17}}</ref>

In 1985, the name of the river was gazetted by [[Land Information New Zealand]] as '''Shag River (Waihemo)'''. In August 2021, the name was officially amended to '''Waihemo / Shag River'''.<ref name="LINZ" />

Waihemo means a 'river that has gone away' or 'dwindled'. Early whalers named the river after the [[Great cormorant|common seabird]].<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Shag Point.jpg|thumb|800px|centre|Panorama overlooking [[Shag Point / Matakaea]], on the north side of the mouth of the Shag River / Waihemo]]

==Pre-Colonial History==
Archaeological evidence shows that around 100–200 Māori settled at the Shag River Mouth during the 14th century, making it a large village for the time. The surrounding area supported a large amount of [[Moa]], which became the main source of food for the population. Around a few decades after being settled, the area was abandoned, likely due to the depletion of natural resources, such as Moa and seals. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/shag-river-mouth |title=Overview of Shag River |website=NZ History }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Rivers of Otago]]
[[Category:Rivers of New Zealand]]


{{Otago-river-stub}}