It flows southeast from the slopes of the Ruahine Range, meeting the waters of the Waipawa River 12 kilometres (7 mi) west of Tikokino.

[3] After the initial approval in 2014, two appeals lodged by Hawke's Bay and Eastern Fish and Game Councils and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand and cross appeal lodged by the Environmental Defence Society were examined by the High Court to reconsider the conditions of consent.

On 12 December 2014 Justice Collins ordered the Board to reconsider their decision on an appropriate mechanism for managing the amount of nitrogen that enters the catchment area and giving parties a fair opportunity to comment.

This decision was further appealed by the Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company Ltd and the Minister of Conservation to the Supreme Court on 27 and 28 February 2017.

[6] The court ruled on 6 July 2017 dismissing the appeal and upholding the decision that the conservation status could not be revoked under the scheme.