Lake Hāwea
| Lake Hāwea | ||
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| Geographical location | Queenstown-Lakes District , Otago , New Zealand | |
| Tributaries | Hunter River | |
| Drain | Hāwea River | |
| Places on the shore | Hāwea | |
| Location close to the shore | Wanaka , Dunedin , Queenstown | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 44 ° 30 ′ S , 169 ° 17 ′ E | |
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| Altitude above sea level | 348 m | |
| surface | 141 km² | |
| Maximum depth | 392 m | |
The Lake Hawea is the smallest and most northerly of the five major glacial lakes of New Zealand . It is located in the Otago region . Although the exact meaning of its name is unknown, the term Hāwea comes from the name of a local Māori tribe.
With an area of 141 km², Lake Hāwea is the smallest of the five glacial lakes in the “Southern Lakes” area. The lake is located in a glacier- formed U-valley a few kilometers east of the larger Lake Wanaka , which was formed in a similar way. At the narrowest point ( "The Neck" ), the two bodies of water are only about 1000 meters apart. Lake Hāwea is 348 m above sea level. NN higher than its larger neighboring lake and with a depth of 392 m is also much deeper. It reaches its greatest extent with a length of 35 km in north-south direction.
The lake is surrounded on three sides by mountain ridges, only the south bank is formed by a relatively flat glacier moraine, formed about 10,000 years ago , on which the only larger settlement on the lake, the village of Hāwea, is located. The Hunter River flowing in the north forms the inflow, while the Hāwea River in the south is the outflow. This flows a few kilometers further in Albert Town into the Clutha River , the second longest river in the country.
In 1958 the water level was artificially raised by 20 meters so that the hydropower plants could meet the higher electricity demand in winter.
The area is a popular vacation destination. The lake itself is suitable for all kinds of water sports. The fish-rich lake also invites you to fish for trout and salmon . The surrounding area is a center of adventure tourism . In summer, the water areas are used particularly often by jet ski enthusiasts, while in winter the neighboring mountain ranges are ideal for skiing.
