Where exactly is the "Main Divide" on a map?

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igaquo1
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Where exactly is the "Main Divide" on a map?

Unread post by igaquo1 »

Hello

Does anyone know where I can find the Southern Alps main divide exactly on a map? I couldn't find anything obvious on Google or Google Earth.

"AREA/S AFFECTED: HEADWATERS OF THE OTAGO LAKES AND RIVERS
FORECAST:
Heavy rain is expected to develop near the Main Divide late Wednesday
morning then ease at night. In the 12 hours from 10am to 10pm
Wednesday, about 80 to 100mm of rain could fall near the Divide with
greater than 70mm falling within 15km east of the Divide. "

thanks
Jeremy
Last edited by igaquo1 on Thu 31/07/2014 17:05, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by melja »

Its a line of the highest peaks slightly to the west of the middle of the south island
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by igaquo1 »

I saw that map. I don't think it is the main divide because when you zoom in it follows some river valleys.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by spwill »

My understanding of the main Divide is it follows the highest peaks in the west, the main Mnt line range in the far west
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by matttbs »

Isn't it where the main fault line runs along the mountains?
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by spwill »

The likes of Mt Cook Village and Makarora West would be east of the mian Divide and in the main spill over zone.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by melja »

It runs along a series of low mountain passes, lewis pass, arthurs pass, harpers pass , haast pass, and many more. Just take a look at topo maps for them and join them all together.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by Orion »

It'll be the watershed line, won't it?
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by Razor »

If rivers around you flow to the Tasman Sea, you have crossed the Main Divide and are on the West Coast.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by Razor »

matttbs wrote:Isn't it where the main fault line runs along the mountains?
no! Alpine Fault is almost entirety west of the divide
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide"?

Unread post by matttbs »

Razor wrote:
matttbs wrote:Isn't it where the main fault line runs along the mountains?
no! Alpine Fault is almost entirety west of the divide
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide" on a map?

Unread post by Michael »

Consider it from otago to the east coast region northeast of Gisborne,the kaimais are not or the hilly areas further west.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide" on a map?

Unread post by igaquo1 »

Thanks for all your input. But if I'm to measure "15km east of the Divide", it would be good to get an accurate position of the Divide.
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Re: Where exactly is the "Main Divide" on a map?

Unread post by Razor »

igaquo1 wrote:Thanks for all your input. But if I'm to measure "15km east of the Divide", it would be good to get an accurate position of the Divide.
Hey there I think you are from overseas so apologies to locals for stating what we are used to as the obvious

...to clarify, the Main Divide is a major high mountainous feature of geography that runs most of the length of the South Island, nearly 1000kms from SW to NE up the Island and is defined by the watersheds, with watersheds running to the west indicating the boundary.

There is no fixed position as such, but the post above had a map indicating the line for you.

If you consult most Topgraphical maps issued by the NZ govt you should easily be able to trace the path of the Main Divide (ie NZMS250 and Topomap50)

It is the barrier to the westerly quarter winds that tend to dominate here, and the outcome is an orographic spread of weather where the west (onshore) is wet and the east is dry
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