The Rangitaiki River is the longest river in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand's North Island. It is long, and rises inland from northern Hawkes Bay to the east of the Kaingaroa Forest. The Rangitaiki catchment covers an area of 3005 km. It flows in a generally northeastward direction, passing through the town of Murupara and skirting close to the western edge of Te Urewera National Park before turning northwards, flowing past Edgecumbe and into the Bay of Plenty close to Thornton. There are two man-made lakes on the Rangitaiki formed by hydro-electric dams, Lake Āniwaniwa (formerly Lake Aniwhenua). and Lake Matahina. History In April 2017, remnants of Cyclone Debbie caused heavy rainfall in the region. At 8:30 am on April 6, water from the Rangitaiki River breached the College Road floodwall at Edgecumbe, causing widespread flooding across the township. A state of emergency was declared for the Whakatane District, and around 2,000 people were evacuated to Kawerau and Whakatane. More than 300 homes were damaged, with some becoming uninhabitable. A review of the flood was undertaken by a panel consisting of Sir Michael Cullen (chair), Kyle Christensen, and Charlie Price. Course The river is long, rising at an elevation of above mean sea level, east of Lake Taupo and south of the Bay of Plenty coast. From its source in the Ahimanawa Ranges it flows for across the Kaingaroa Plains towards Murupara. Near the northern edge of the plains the river has been dammed by the Rangitāiki Dam, approximately downstream of its confluence with the Wheao River. The dam diverts all but at least 0.5 cumecs into the Wheao and Flaxy power scheme, which discharges into Wheao River which joins the Rangitaiki upstream of Murupara. By the time it reaches the settlement at Murupara the river has a catchment of over 720 km. Within downstream of Murupara, two major tributaries, the Whirinaki River and the Horomanga River enter the river on the eastern side. The river then continues north over the Galatea Plains before it enters the man-made Lake Āniwaniwa, the waters of which power the Aniwhenua Power Station. Below the power station the river passes over the Aniwhenua falls and then squeezes through a narrow chasm. Downstream of the dam, the main channel passes through a gorge and then out onto the Waiohau Plains and past the settlement of Waihau. Several small tributaries arising in the