[1] At 33 kilometres (21 mi) long, it is the shortest of the main rivers flowing through the Heretaunga Plains.

Te Awa o Mokotūāraro occupies the former course of the Ngaruroro River, which in 1867 changed flow to its present course during major flooding.

[2] Getting most of its drainage from irrigation ditches around the Heretaunga Plains, the river starts from the west of Flaxmere (just south of the Ngaruroro River), where it flows south-east, west of Hastings before making a sharp, right angle turn towards Havelock North.

The river finally turns in an east direction there it flows past the town of Clive and into the Pacific Ocean.

[3] The Minister for Land Information officially renamed the river to Te Awa o Mokotūāraro in June 2023.