A bid to return Clive River to its original Maori title will be heard in Napier today.
The original Ngaruroro River was the subject of a major flood control scheme in the 1950s and 1960s. A diversion overflow channel was cut where the river now crosses the Chesterhope Bridge, near the Pakowhai Country Park, in 1966. It was designed to take large volumes of water away from Whakatu and Clive to reduce flooding.
The new overflow channel took on the Ngaruroro name while the old channel was blocked off in 1969 and became the primary outlet for the Raupare and Karamu streams.
The New Zealand Geographic Board decided on the name "Clive River" in 1975 for the old channel.
Regional council staff said over time there had been a number of people questioning the name of the Clive River. They were worried about the loss of its original title and its connection to history.