Aotea Lagoon

Infobox lake
lake_name = Aotea Lagoon
image_lake = Aotea_Lagoon,Porirua,NZ_from_north-east.jpg
caption_lake = A view of Aotea Lagoon from the north-east: Pipitea miniature railway station across the lagoon, State Highway 1, North Island Main Trunk Railway and Porirua Harbour to the right, Porirua city centre in the background.
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = North Island
coords = coord|41|7|12|S|174|51|25|E|type:waterbody_region:NZ|display=inline,title
type = artificial lagoon
inflow = Porirua Harbour and stormwater drains
outflow = Porirua Harbour
catchment =
basin_countries = New Zealand
length =
width =
area = 5 ha Porirua City Council (1994), p.1.]
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore = 732 m
elevation = sea level
islands =
cities = Papakowhai

Aotea Lagoon is an artificial lagoon and public park, covering 7 ha, in Papakowhai, North Island, New Zealand.The lagoon formed when transport links were realigned from the natural coastline to land reclaimed from Porirua Harbour.

Hydrology

Aotea Lagoon is tidal. The culvert, from Porirua Harbour,Porirua City Council (1994), p.40. Water Quality section.] enters the lagoon under the model windmill.Porirua City Council (1994), p.7.] Three stormwater drains flow into the lagoon,two from the east and one from the south-east under the pier.

The lagoon's "water body receives limited flushing and aeration" and "little can be done to improve water quality without extensive engineering works."

History

Between 1958 and 1961 a causeway was built in Porirua Harbour to realignthe North Island Main Trunk Railway.Porirua City Council (1994), pp.4-7. History section containing aerial photographs of the rail causeway and lagoon under construction.] Running north-east from the city centre to Paremata,the causeway cut straight across three bays turning them into lagoons:
* southern - south of the Gear Homestead headland
* central - that became Aotea Lagoon
* northern - north of the headland where Thurso Grove now stands, around Papakowhai ReserveTo realign State Highway 1 inland of the railwaythe lagoons were partly filled with material from the
Ministry of Works and Development's local earthworks.These included the central lagoon's eastern and southern neighbours:the Royal New Zealand Police College and Whitford Brown Avenue.The Ministry and local service clubs transformed the area around the central lagoon into a public park that opened in 1980,Porirua City Council took over the park in 1994.cite web
last = Porirua City Council
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = History of Aotea Lagoon
work =
publisher = Porirua City Council
date =
url = http://www.pcc.govt.nz/web_frameset.asp?pageID=100033816&id=&link=yes
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-03-23 Abridged from Porirua City Council (1994), History section, pp.4-7 (see above).]

Facilities

The park's centerpiece is the lagoon and its perimeter path used for walking and running.

South-west of the lagoon is Pipitea Station on the ¼ scale Aotea ridable miniature railway thatfeatures an 833 m long track,Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers (2002), p.2.] two bridges and a tunnel.Built and operated by the Waitangirua Lions, the train runs:

Other facilities clockwise from the north-east:
* adventure playground
* fenced duck pond crossed by a boardwalk, connected to the lagoon by a weir
* island in the lagoon reached by a footbridge
* Pétanque pitch
* smaller duck pond, rose garden and shadehouse containing a fernery in the south-west cornerThere are also barbecues and toilets.

Notes

References

* cite book
last = Porirua City Council
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Aotea Lagoon Management Plan
publisher = Porirua City Council
date = 1994
location =
pages =
doi =
id =
isbn = Reference copy held in Porirua City Library, Local History section, classification Qz 993.147 AOT REF. Appendix 1, Aotea Lagoon Existing Facilities is a map of the park as of 1994.
* cite web
last = Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Mini Railways in New Zealand, 2nd Edition
work =
publisher =
date = 2002
url = http://www.csmee.org.nz/SecondEdition,MiniRailway_%5B1%5D.pdf
format = PDF
doi =
accessdate = 2008-03-23