- Lake Wairarapa
Infobox_lake
lake_name = Lake Wairarapa
image_lake =
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location =South Wairarapa District ,Wellington Region ,North Island
coords = coord|41|13|S|175|15|E|region:NZ_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type =
inflow = Ruamahanga
outflow = Ruamahanga
catchment =
basin_countries = New Zealand
length =
width =
area = 78 km²
depth = 2.5 m
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities = FeatherstonLake Wairarapa is a
lake at the southern end of theNorth Island ofNew Zealand , 50 kilometers east of Wellington. The lake covers an area of 78 km², and is the third largest in the North Island, fractionally smaller thanLake Rotorua . The nearest town to the lake is Featherston, which is located five kilometres from its northern shore.The lake's catchment area is large, and includes the eastern slopes of the Rimutaka and
Tararua Range s. The lake takes water from several rivers and was originally the main outflow for the Ruamahanga. This in turn drained slowly intoPalliser Bay andCook Strait ten kilometres south, via what is now Lake Onoke. The river, however, was diverted in the 1960's to assist flow, thereby reducing flooding for farmers. The lake today therefore covers an area significantly smaller than its historical size of around 210km² [Flack, J: Wairarapa Times Age, Feb 2000. ]The area around the lake is low-lying and swampy, and recent efforts have been made to preserve its important wetland features and restore wildlife habitat that has been degraded through human use. Agriculture and river development, flood control, and waterway diversions have resulted in the drainage of large areas of the wetlands, reducing their ecological values [ [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=33718 NZ Department of Conservation] ] .
The lake has long been used by
Māori as a source of readily available food, and many species of waterfowl and fish uncommon elsewhere in New Zealand can be found in or around the lake.References
External links
* [http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/weekly/wetlands.html Lake Wairarapa wetlands]
* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=33718 NZ Department of Conservation information on Lake Wairarapa wetlands]
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