The lake in New Zealand is transparent. Pukaki lake in new zealand. The deepest lake in the country

In previous posts on the topic - lakes of the world, we introduced you to floating islands and amazing flowers at. Today we offer to travel to New Zealand, to an unusual lake on the planet - Rotomairewhenua, which means Maori blue Lake. This small freshwater lake is located in the Nelson Lakes National Park, in the northern regions of the Southern Alps, New Zealand.

It has been famous since 2011, when experts from the National Institute of Water Resources and Atmospheric Research found that the lake has extreme visibility which reaches 80 meters depth. Previously, another lake held the world record - Those Weikoropupu Springs, which is also located in New Zealand and which has a visibility of 63 meters.

The blue lake is characterized by blue-violet shades, which is caused by natural filters that purify the water. The lake is fed by a glacial pond located in the mountains. The dam between them, consisting of different rocks, is an excellent natural filter.

The first person to arouse interest in the small lake was hydrologist Rob Merriles. Then a specialist from the National Institute came into play, led by Dr. Rob Davis-Collie. Six scientific missions to the blue lake confirmed that its waters are crystal clear. "In theory, visibility in distilled water is about 80 meters, and this is estimated by the best measurements," says Rob Davis-Collie. "Blue Lake comes close to such estimates."

• Karapiro
  Artificial lake, a reservoir on the Waikato River (New Zealand). In the local language, the name means "foul-smelling stones." The reservoir was formed after the construction of the hydroelectric power station in 1947. The mirror area is 7.7 km² (approximately 11 km per 900 m), the average depth is about 11 m, and the maximum is 30 m.
• Manapouri
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand within the Fjordland National Park. There are 34 islands in the water area of \u200b\u200bthe lake, 22 of them are covered with forest. The largest of the islands - Pomona, is located approximately in the middle of Manapouri. Other large islands are called Holmwood, Rhone, Mahara. In the northeastern part, the Wahiau River flows into the lake. It flows from it in the southeastern part of Manapouri. The replenishment of the lake is carried out by the waters flowing from the Kepler, Tarret mountain ranges and the Hunter mountains, which surround the lake from all sides except the east coast, where there is a small settlement.
• Mapurica
  Located in the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand. It lies north of the Franz Josef Glacier and flows into the Okarito lagoon. This is the largest lake of the West Coast lakes, the glacial formation of the last ice age. Since the water from the melting glaciers no longer enters the lake, it is filled with fresh rainwater that flows along the ground in the forests surrounding the lake, saturated with tannins, which gives the lake its dark color. Since the winds in this region blow high above the peaks of the Southern Alps, the water in the lake remains calm and reflects a forest standing on the shores of the lake.
• Fukaki
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand. Located in the Canterbury region. It is the largest of the three alpine lakes parallel to each other (Tekapo and Ohau), stretching from north to south along the Mackenzie pit. Pukaki is of glacial origin. Due to the fact that the lake is mainly replenished with meltwater from glaciers, the water in it has a distinctly blue tint. The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is 178.7 km², and the height above sea level varies from 518 to 532 m. The width of Pukaki reaches 8 km and the length is 15 km. In the northern part, the Tasman River flows into Pukaki, which originates in the Tasman and Hooker glaciers near Mount Cook.
• Rotorua
  Crater Lake on North Island in New Zealand. Located in the Bay of Plenty region. Lake Rotorua is the second largest lake of the North Island: its area is 79.8 km². The length of the largest diameter is 12.1 km. Due to the fact that the average depth of Rotorua is only 10 m, it is significantly smaller in volume of the nearby Lake Taravera.
• Taupo
  Crater Lake on the North Island of New Zealand, on the shores of the lake is a city of the same name. Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand and the largest freshwater lake in the South Pacific and Australia. Its mirror area is 616 km². The greatest depth is 186 m. The length of the largest diameter is 44 km. The coastline is 193 km. The catchment area is 3487 km². From the lake flows the largest river of the country Waikato.
• Te anau
  A lake in the southwestern part of South Island (New Zealand). The original name (in Maori) is Te Ana-au ("cave of bubbling water"). The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is about 344 km², which makes it the second largest lake in New Zealand (after Lake Taupo) and the largest lake on South Island.
• Tekapo
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand. Located in the Canterbury region. It is the second largest of the three high-altitude lakes parallel to each other (others - Pukaki and Okhau), stretching from north to south along the Mackenzie pit. Tekapo is of glacial origin. Due to the fact that the lake is mainly replenished with meltwater from glaciers, the water in it has a distinctly blue tint. The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is 87 km² and the height above sea level is about 700 m.
• Waikaremoana
  A lake in the eastern part of the North Island in New Zealand on the territory of The Urever National Park. It is located 60 km northwest of the city of Wairoa and 80 km southwest of the city of Gisborne. Area - 54 km². Being the deepest lake of the North Island (256 m), the surface of Waikaremoana is located at an altitude of 600 m above sea level.
• Wakatipu
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand. Located in the Otago region near the border with the Southland region. The length of the lake, which has a glacial origin, is about 80 km, which makes it the longest lake in New Zealand. The area of \u200b\u200bWakatipu reaches 291 km².
• Wanaka
  New Zealand Lake in the Otago Region. Located at an altitude of 300 meters above sea level. It has an area of \u200b\u200b192 km². The fourth largest lake in New Zealand. The lake is located in the central part of the South Island north of the city of the same name. It is surrounded on all sides by the Southern Alps - a mountain range up to 3000 meters high, while on the west side the area is more mountainous than on the east.
• Javea
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand. Located in the Otago region, approximately 293 km northwest of the city of Dunedin. The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is 141 km² and the maximum depth is 392 m. The maximum length from north to south reaches about 35 km, width - 8 km.
• Hauroko
  A lake located in a mountain valley in the Fiordland National Park on the South Island (New Zealand). The lake, stretched in the shape of the letter S, has a length of 40 km and covers an area of \u200b\u200b63 km². The surface of the lake is located at an altitude of 150 meters above sea level, the depth of the lake is 463 m. It is the deepest lake in New Zealand and the 17th deepest in the whole world.
• Ellesmere
  Lake on South Island in New Zealand. Located in the Canterbury region. Ellesmere is a wide, shallow lake located west of the Banks Peninsula and separated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow strip of land called Kaitorete-Spit. It has a length of 28 km and was formed about 6 thousand years from gravel washed away from the banks of the Rakaya River, which flows into the lake.

New Zealand is famous for its natural attractions, a mass of pristine places and a unique climate. One of the most popular and picturesque tourist routes runs past two unusual lakes - Pukaki and Tekalo - which are separated by a mountain range and amaze eyewitnesses with water of a heavenly hue. It seems that these are not lakes at all, but real pools!

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Our review will be devoted to one of these amazing reservoirs, namely Lake Pukaki. The lake is located in the most beautiful corner of South Island, which is part of New Zealand.

The Azure Pond is one of three lakes that are located high in the mountains, south of the Mackenzie pit. The hero of our review refers to lakes of glacial origin, and the water level is maintained thanks to the flow of water that leaves the mountains during the melting of glaciers. Perhaps that is why the lake has such an unusual sky-turquoise hue. The area is almost 178 square meters. km, and the altitude exceeds 500 meters!

In addition to glaciers, the Tasman River, which connects with it in the northern part, is responsible for feeding the reservoir with fresh waters. But another river with the same name originates from the southern coast.

Since New Zealand has always sought to use the potential of nature for peaceful purposes, the government of the country has not ignored our body of water. For several decades, Pukaki has been an important part of the island’s hydropower system, and water from it flows through specially created channels directly to the Okhau A hydroelectric station. It is thanks to the lake that the local population can enjoy the delights of civilization and use electricity.

By the way, the New Zealand estuary was not always so large-scale. Until the 1940s, the maximum depth of the lake did not exceed 20-25 meters. Since there was an urgent need to increase the capacity of water, work was carried out to deepen the reservoir by 9 meters, and later by almost 40 more. The flooding of a small land area, which was located in the middle of the water surface, was associated with this.

Unusual and interesting facts about the lake

The water temperature in Pukaki almost never rises above 7 degrees. It is easy to guess that glaciers, which feed it, contribute in every way to this.

If you believe the results of the research, the approximate age of the lake is at least 16 thousand years. Just imagine that since that distant time, practically nothing has changed here. After all, the human factor had practically no effect on pristine nature.

Another interesting fact is related to the local power station, which converts the lake water into electrical energy. It turns out that the installation has impressive power, which reaches 105 megawatts. As mentioned earlier, water enters the station through a special channel, which is laid from the river of the same name.

But regarding the true name and its origin, disputes do not subside to this day. If you believe the local legend, the unusual name pond owes to its discoverer - Raikaikhait. Translated from the local dialect, Pukaki means something like “Bound Water.”

According to another legend, the lake was named after the great warrior, and later the leader of the Maori tribe once living in these parts. If you believe the legend, then the land here for many years simply was buried in the rivers of blood that the warring tribes shed. In order for peace to finally reign in these parts, the leaders of the warring tribes decided to tie both clans with the strongest ties - the bonds of marriage. When a boy was born in the family of young descendants of the leaders, he was called Pukaki, and from that moment there was no longer a contention between the tribes.

Years passed, Pukaki became more courageous, became a real leader and lived up to the hopes of the great Maori people. He is considered the greatest peacekeeper in the history of New Zealand. And that is precisely why in 1990 it was decided to immortalize a warrior on a coin with a face value of 20 cents. Today you can find such a coin in any souvenir shop. And do not pass by, because the great warrior is depicted on a coin not with a spear at all, but in the form of a well-fed boy who froze in a yoga pose.

If you watched a recently released film about the continuation of the adventures of the well-known Hobbit, then the Hazy Mountains, which are shown in the film, were copied from the local landscapes. They were inhabited by dragons. Who knows, maybe real mountains were once the abode of huge creatures that spewed fire from their mouths and had to fly?

Acquaintance with the lake

As soon as you are alone with the wonderful landscapes of sky-blue waters, which are carefully hidden from the eyes of a man by huge mountains, you realize how magnificent nature can be. Like a huge stone scarf, mountains surround a marvelous estuary, complementing the already unique image with their snow-white hats. Indeed, can the best "Photoshop" reflect such a rich spectrum of colors? Can the best quality lens convey the spirit of these places? Of course not!

The lake is in a kind of dead end and far from the settlements. You will have to get more than 9 km to the nearest town along winding paths and roads that are not always covered with asphalt.

Mount Cook, which is equipped with an information center, is considered the best viewing platform that allows you to consider all the charms of a paradise. Not only mortals, but also Gods can envy the view that opens from here!

You can get to the lake in a rented car. As a rule, sightseeing buses, especially public transport, are not here. And so that the road does not seem so complicated and you do not get lost among the rocks, it is better to stock up on a map in advance and configure the navigator in the car.

Two more articles about New Zealand: Bridge to Nowhere and Waitomo Firefly Cave - read on our website.

A distant country New Zealand attracts tourists with its amazing history. There are many natural monuments preserved in its original form. And such an instance is considered to be Blue Lake.

This freshwater lake is located in the northern part of the country, in the Nelson National Park. On our planet, the Blue Lake of New Zealand is the most unusual. The water here is cold all year round, as the glaciers are very close. They allow the lake to maintain water levels. The water in the lake changes its color depending on the time of year, and the lower the air temperature, the bluer the lake. In the summer, the lake acquires a purple hue.

On the shore there are numerous sites from which tourists admire beautiful landscapes. And they observe a wonderful view of the Blue Lake, which is surrounded by majestic cliffs and unique trees. Not so long ago it was discovered that it has extremely clean water. It originates from the waters of the underground lake Constance, here almost all the particles that are suspended in the water filter the soil.

After heavy rains, the water in the lake becomes cloudy. But in a day the water is completely renewed. The visibility of the depth is eighty meters. From the surface of the lake you can see the inhabitants of the reservoir at a depth of up to eighty meters, without invading their world. Diving and swimming are not allowed in the lake.

The lake is fed by glacier waters located in the Southern Alps. The lake is located at an altitude of over a thousand meters above sea level. Very cold water temperature in the lake, it does not exceed five to eight degrees heat.

The Maori tribes of this lake are considered sacred. They hold a ceremony on the lake for the dead. Maori think that the cleansed souls of the dead can travel to Hawaiki. Māori tribes believe that the souls of the dead will return to their homeland after death.

How to relax here

In hot daytime, tourists like to be at the cool, refreshing surface of the Blue Lake. Here on the shore of the lake there are restaurants offering tourists to taste the Mediterranean cuisine or Italian.

In New Zealand, much attention is paid to ecology. Scientists noted that this amazingly beautiful country is also the cleanest on the planet. No one is surprised that the Blue Lake in New Zealand is located in this country. I can’t believe that in our time you can meet a piece of land with pristine stunning nature.

Blue Lake, Blue Lake, in the Nelson Lakes National Park on the North Island of New Zealand, is considered the cleanest lake on Earth. According to measurements, underwater visibility in a reservoir ranges from 73 to 80 meters!

Wonderful, but inside it can only be seen by specialists. All the others, with a certain persistence, can admire the Blue Lake only from the outside - bathing is prohibited, since the local native population from the Maori tribe considers the sacred reservoir.

The original name sounds like Rotomairewhenua, translates as "lake of peaceful lands" and makes you think very hard, since the Māori have always been a warlike people, let alone cannibalism.

• The crystal clearness of the reservoir, by the way, is simply explained. The lake is filled with water from the neighboring, much larger Lake Constance (not to be confused with the German Lake Constance))), and it gets through the ridge before getting where it needs to be, cleared of impurities and suspended matter.

Relatively close (even further north) is another famous New Zealand landmark, the volcanic lake Rotorua, which occupies the crater of an ancient volcano.

As you know, due to its remoteness and uncluttered beauty, it is now considered one of the exclusive tourist destinations and is popular with wealthy or accomplished travelers. Nothing expensive - but how beautiful!