The full Māori name of the river is Te Wairoa Hōpūpū Hōnengenenge Mātangi Rau, which means the long, bubbling, swirling, uneven waters.

[3] The river rose to a "record height", the bridge "took a battering", and "telephone lines 4.3 metres above road level were carrying grass and twigs, showing the phenomenal rise of the floodwaters".

[6] Cyclone Gabrielle resulted in erosion of stream banks, removal of riparian vegetation, and stream-bed disturbance in Wairoa River.

A 2023 study estimated that erosion control measures on land could reduce sediment loads in the river by up to 60%, improving visual clarity and creating better conditions for sensitive fish species.

The Walkway is a pedestrian and cycle path starting at the bridge on the south bank of the Wairoa River.