More than 8000 votes were cast in the Green Party's online poll to find New Zealand's best river.
The Whanganui headed off the Waikato by just 46 votes with the Tukituki, in Hawkes Bay, third favourite.
A presentation will be made by the Greens' water spokeswoman, Eugenie Sage to Wanganui Mayor Annette Main outside the i-Site in Taupo Quay tomorrow at 3pm.
The award is a handcrafted ceramic eel made by Sam Ludden of Sticky Fingers Pottery.
The top 10 contenders for best river (in order of votes) were the Whanganui, Waikato, Tukituki, Clutha, Hutt, Waimakariri, Pelorus, Buller and Tongariro rivers.
The more than 8000 votes were distributed over almost 300 rivers.
"While the Wanganui River came out tops, the search for our best river showed that New Zealanders love rivers all over the country and want them protected," said Ms Sage.
"As New Zealanders, we love our rivers and want to be able to swim in them. But more than 60 per cent of monitored river sites are now too polluted for swimming," she said.
- Wanganui Chronicle
