Lake Hāwea
| Lake Hāwea | |
|---|---|
Lake Hāwea, looking south | |
| Location | Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, South Island |
| Coordinates | 44°30′S 169°17′E / 44.500°S 169.283°E |
| Primary inflows | Hunter River |
| Primary outflows | Hāwea River |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Surface area | 141 km2 (54 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 100.5 m (330 ft) |
| Max. depth | 392 m (1,286 ft) |
| Water volume | 14.17 km3 (3.40 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 348 m (1,142 ft) |
| Islands | Silver Island |
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Lake Hāwea is New Zealand's ninth largest lake located on the South Island in the Otago Region at an altitude of 348 m. It covers 141 km2 and is 392 m deep.
Lake Hāwea is named after a Māori tribe who preceded the Waitaha people in the area.
Lake Hāwea stretches 35 km from north to south. It lies in a glacial valley formed during the last ice age, and is fed by the Hunter River. Nearby Lake Wānaka lies in a parallel glacial valley 8 km to the west. At their closest point, a rocky ridge called The Neck, the lakes are only 1 km apart.
Lake Hāwea is dammed to the south by an ancient terminal moraine created 10 000 years ago. In 1958, the lake was artificially raised 20 metres to store more water for increased hydroelectric power generation at the Roxburgh Dam.
The only flat land around the lake is at its southern end, surrounding its outflow into the Hāwea River, a short tributary of the Clutha / Matau-au, which it joins near Albert Town. The settlement of Lake Hāwea is found at the lake's southern shore.
The lake is a popular resort, well used in the summer for fishing, boating and swimming. The nearby mountains and fast-flowing rivers allow for adventure tourism year-round, such as jetboating and skiing.