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Waikato Plains
The Waikato Plains (the alternative name Waikato Basin is an ambiguous term as it can refer to the entire river catchment) form a large area of low-lying land in the northwest of the North Island of New Zealand. They are the alluvial plains of the Waikato River, the country's longest river with a length of 425 km (264 mi).
The plains can be divided roughly into the Middle Waikato Plain (also Middle Waikato Basin Hamilton Basin ), extending in all directions around the city of Hamilton, and the Lower Waikato Plain, nearer the river's mouth. The two are broken by the rough, low-lying hills of the Hakarimata Range, between Ngāruawāhia and Huntly, and the Taupiri Range.
The region is heavily populated by New Zealand standards, with many living in Hamilton towards the center of the plains.
The plains are an area of once swampy land, much of which was drained by the early settlers, such as the Morrin brothers in the late 18th century and is now intensively farmed. Dairy cattle, sheep, grain and maize are all farmed here, but it is dairy farming that is the staple of the local economy. The lower plain is also known for vineyards, and the middle plain has some of the southern hemisphere's top thoroughbred stables, notably around the towns of Cambridge and Matamata.
A considerable amount of the land is peaty, and significant sections especially in the north east are still undrained swamp. Dozens of shallow riverine lakes lie at the central and southern end of the lower plain, notably Lake Waikare.
This part of the Wailkato watershed is currently managed as the Middle Waikato Management Zone and the Lower Waikato Management Zone.
There is geological evidence that the Hamilton Basin portion was formed as a rift valley. The normal faulting associated with this may have become inactive before 350,000 years ago, although in lake sediments there is evidence of significant local earthquake activity as recently as 7600 years ago, but epicenters may relate to known current active fault systems to the north east of the plains.
The basement is Waipapa Morrinsville Terrane greywacke formed in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (160-120 Ma).
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Waikato Plains AI simulator
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Waikato Plains
The Waikato Plains (the alternative name Waikato Basin is an ambiguous term as it can refer to the entire river catchment) form a large area of low-lying land in the northwest of the North Island of New Zealand. They are the alluvial plains of the Waikato River, the country's longest river with a length of 425 km (264 mi).
The plains can be divided roughly into the Middle Waikato Plain (also Middle Waikato Basin Hamilton Basin ), extending in all directions around the city of Hamilton, and the Lower Waikato Plain, nearer the river's mouth. The two are broken by the rough, low-lying hills of the Hakarimata Range, between Ngāruawāhia and Huntly, and the Taupiri Range.
The region is heavily populated by New Zealand standards, with many living in Hamilton towards the center of the plains.
The plains are an area of once swampy land, much of which was drained by the early settlers, such as the Morrin brothers in the late 18th century and is now intensively farmed. Dairy cattle, sheep, grain and maize are all farmed here, but it is dairy farming that is the staple of the local economy. The lower plain is also known for vineyards, and the middle plain has some of the southern hemisphere's top thoroughbred stables, notably around the towns of Cambridge and Matamata.
A considerable amount of the land is peaty, and significant sections especially in the north east are still undrained swamp. Dozens of shallow riverine lakes lie at the central and southern end of the lower plain, notably Lake Waikare.
This part of the Wailkato watershed is currently managed as the Middle Waikato Management Zone and the Lower Waikato Management Zone.
There is geological evidence that the Hamilton Basin portion was formed as a rift valley. The normal faulting associated with this may have become inactive before 350,000 years ago, although in lake sediments there is evidence of significant local earthquake activity as recently as 7600 years ago, but epicenters may relate to known current active fault systems to the north east of the plains.
The basement is Waipapa Morrinsville Terrane greywacke formed in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (160-120 Ma).