Ōkārito Lagoon

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Ōkārito Lagoon
Okarito Lagoon 05.jpg
View from the Ōkārito settlement to the northeast over the Ōkārito River ,
which becomes part of the Ōkārito Lagoon at high tide .
Geographical location West Coast , South Island , New Zealand
Tributaries Ōkārito River , Otatoki Creek , Patrick Creek , Okutua Creek , Oroko Creek , Deep Creek , Tidal Creek
Drain Tasman Sea
Islands various siltations
Places on the shore Ōkārito
Data
Coordinates 43 ° 11 ′ 0 ″  S , 170 ° 14 ′ 0 ″  E Coordinates: 43 ° 11 ′ 0 ″  S , 170 ° 14 ′ 0 ″  E
Ōkārito Lagoon (New Zealand)
Ōkārito Lagoon
Altitude above sea level 0  m
surface 20 km 2dep1
length 9.9 km
width 2.5 km
scope around 33 kmdep1
Maximum depth 110 m
Catchment area approx. 270 km 2dep1

The Ōkārito Lagoon is a lagoon on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand, separated from the Tasman Sea by a narrow headland about 8.7 km long .

Origin of name

The name of the lagoon is made up of the Maori terms " ō " for "place of" and " kārito " for "young sprout of a cattail " .

geography

The Ōkārito Lagoon , which covers an area of ​​around 20 km 2 , is located around 85 km southwest of Hokitika and around 19 km north of the Franz Josef Glacier , from which the Franz Josef Glacier is accessible. The lagoon extends in a southwest-northeast extension over a length of almost 10 km and has a maximum width of 2.5 km. At its deepest point, which is in the middle of the water, the lagoon has a maximum depth of 110 m.

Due to the influence of the tides, the surface of the lagoon changes constantly and varies in the tidal range between 0.8 m at the outflow of the water and 0.17 m in the northern area. During storms, the water level in the lagoon can rise quickly between two and three meters.

The largest inflow of the lagoon is via the Ōkārito River , which has an entrance in the southern area of ​​the water. Other tributaries are with Otatoki Creek , Patrick Creek and Okutua Creek further north and two more with Deep Creek and Tidal Creek at the southern end of the lagoon. The amount of fresh water inflow varies depending on the weather between 11 m 3 / sec. and 750 m 3 / sec.

The small settlement Ōkārito is located at the outlet of the lagoon to the Tasman Sea .

history

According to research by geologists, the lagoon that provided anchorage for ships was only formed in the 1700s when a tsunami reshaped the topology of the coast.

The place kārito was one of the busiest places on the west coast with 33 shops and numerous pubs. Between the late 1860s and 1880s ships arrived from Australia and anchored in the lagoon. They brought prospectors and tools. At Christmas 1865 the population of the town numbered around 800 and by the end of summer it had doubled for a short time. At the end of the gold rush, only 12 families remained at the place.

Flora and fauna

While the parts of the lagoon that are directly exposed to the constant tide change have sandbars, those areas that protrude higher out of the water, as well as the headland and most of the shore areas, are overgrown with bushes and low trees. The inland area consists of Kahikatea and Rimu rainforests, in which orchids can also be found.

Over 70 different species of birds have been spotted in the lagoon area. The kotuku , a white heron , can be found as well as the tui , the Maori bell honeyeater , a New Zealand species of flycatcher , pigeons and a species of kea , to name a few. The rare Okarito Brown Kiwi can also be found in the surrounding area , of which only around 250 specimens are suspected.

literature

  • JM Macpherson : Hydrology of Okarito Lagoon and the inferred effects of selective logging in Okarito Forest . In: New Zealand Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research . Vol. 15 , 1981, pp. 25-39 , doi : 10.1080 / 00288330.1981.9515894 (English).

Web links

Commons : Okarito Lagoon  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Ōkārito Lagoon . In: NZ Topo Map . Gavin Harriss , accessed December 28, 2019 .
  2. ^ A b c d Macpherson : Hydrology of Okarito Lagoon and the inferred effects of selective logging in Okarito Forest . 1981, p.  25 .
  3. ↑ a b c d e Coordinates and longitudes were determined using Goggle Earth Pro Version 7.3.2.5776 on December 27, 2019
  4. ^ A b Macpherson : Hydrology of Okarito Lagoon and the inferred effects of selective logging in Okarito Forest . 1981, p.  26 .
  5. ↑ Waitangi Taona River Scheme . (PDF 902 kB) Westland Catchment Board , 1980, accessed on December 29, 2019 .
  6. ↑ Okarito . Land Air Water Aotearoa , accessed December 28, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week - Ōkārito . In: New Zealand History . New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage , August 6, 2019, accessed December 28, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Topo maps . Land Information New Zealand , accessed December 28, 2019 .
  9. ^ A b Elisabeth Easther : Okarito Small town glory . In: New Zealand Herald . NZME. Publishing , November 21, 2017, accessed December 28, 2019 .
  10. ↑ a b c Narena Olliver : Okarito Lagoon . New Zealand Birds Limited , February 12, 2012, accessed December 28, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Simon Nathan : Ōkārito Lagoon . In: Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand . Ministry for Culture & Heritage , February 23, 2009, accessed December 28, 2019 .