:''There are two places in New Zealand called Heretaunga. For the suburb of Upper Hutt, see
Heretaunga, Wellington.''
The Heretaunga Plains is a
alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the sma ...
at the southern end of
Hawke Bay on the east coast of the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
of
New Zealand. The towns of
Napier Napier may refer to:
People
* Napier (surname), including a list of people with that name
* Napier baronets, five baronetcies and lists of the title holders
Given name
* Napier Shaw (1854–1945), British meteorologist
* Napier Waller (1893–19 ...
,
Hastings and
Havelock North are on the plain.
The plain was formed over the last 250,000 years from
sediment deposited by the
Tutaekuri,
Ngaruroro and
Tukituki Rivers and from coastal marine deposits. It consists of layers of gravel, sand and silt. Permeable gravel beds form
aquifers and the
artesian
Artesian may refer to:
* Someone from the County of Artois
* Artesian aquifer, a source of water
* Artesian Builds, a former computer building company
* Artesian, South Dakota, United States
* Great Artesian Basin, Australia
* The Artesian Hotel ...
groundwater provides 85% of the requirements for public water supply, irrigation and industrial use on the Heretaunga Plains and adjacent areas.
[
The fertile soil, the warm, dry climate of the area, and the water for irrigation make the plain an excellent site for horticulture and agriculture. Half of the total New Zealand production of fruit, vegetables and grapes is on the Heretaunga Plains.][ It is one of New Zealand's leading wine producing areas.
The Heretaunga Plains are named after a carved wharenui (meeting house) at Whatonga, and Māori migrating south have taken the name with them and given it to a watercourse now known as the Hutt River.]
References
Landforms of the Hawke's Bay Region
Plains of New Zealand
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