Lake Wakatipu

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Lake Wakatipu
NASA false-colour satellite image
Location	Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, South Island
Coordinates	45°3′S 168°30′ECoordinates: 45°3′S 168°30′E
Primary inflows	Dart River
Primary outflows	Kawarau River
Basin countries	New Zealand
Max. length	80 km
Surface area	291 km²
Average depth	230 Metres
Max. depth	420 Metres
Residence time (of lake water)	c. 12 yrs
Surface elevation	310 m
Islands	Pig Island & Pigeon Island
Settlements	Kingston, Queenstown

Lake Wakatipu is an inland lake (finger lake) in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of Otago Region, near its boundary with Southland.

With a length of 80 kilometres, it is New Zealand's longest lake, and, at 291 km², its third largest. It is at an altitude of 310 metres, towards the southern end of the Southern Alps. The general topography is a reversed "N" shape. The Dart River flows into the northern end, the lake then runs south for 30 kilometres before turning abruptly to the east. Twenty kilometres further along, it turns sharply to the south, reaching its southern end 30 kilometres further south, near Kingston.

The lake is drained by the Kawarau River, which flows out from the lake's Frankton Arm, 8km east of Queenstown. Queenstown is on the northern shore of the lake close to eastern end of its middle section. The lake is very deep, its floor being as low as 100 metres below sea level. It has a seiche of period 26.7 minutes which, in Queenstown Bay, causes the water level to rise and fall some 200 millimetres.^[1]

Lake Wakatipu is renowned for its scenic beauty, being surrounded by mountains. The Remarkables mountain range lies along its southeastern edge. It is a popular venue for adventure tourism, with skifields, paragliding, bungy jumping and tramping tracks within easy reach. A vintage steamboat, the TSS Earnslaw regularly plies its waters. Several vineyards are nearby.

[edit] Gallery

Northern end

Near Walter Peak

Lake Wakatipu

Lake Wakatipu & Remarkable Mountains in Queenstown, New Zealand

View from Queenstown heights

The TSS Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown

1898 New Zealand stamp with the name mis-spelled as Lake Wakitipu. This was corrected in later printings.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Lake Wakatipu

v • d • e Clutha River Source: Southern Alps — Flows into: Pacific Ocean Administrative areas Otago Region · Queenstown Lakes District · Central Otago District · Clutha District Towns and settlements (upstream to downstream) Wanaka · Albert Town · Luggate · Lowburn · Cromwell · Clyde · Alexandra · Roxburgh Hydro · Roxburgh · Teviot · Ettrick · Millers Flat · Beaumont · Tuapeka Mouth · Clydevale · Balclutha · Kaitangata Major tributaries (upstream to downstream by confluence) Makarora River · Matukituki River · Cardrona River · Hawea River · Lindis River · Kawarau River · Manuherikia River · Teviot River · Tuapeka River · Pomahaka River · Waitahuna River Lakes in catchment (upstream to downstream by location or tributary) Lake Wanaka · Lake Hawea · Lake Dunstan · Lake Wakatipu · Lake Roxburgh · Lake Tuakitoto Islands in catchment (upstream to downstream by location or tributary) Harwich Island · Pigeon Island · Pig Island · Inch Clutha Other features (upstream to downstream) Old Cromwell Bridge · Cromwell Gorge · Clyde Dam · Roxburgh Dam · Kelso · Balclutha Road Bridge Longest New Zealand rivers 1: Waikato · 2: Clutha · 3: Whanganui · 4: Taieri · 5: Rangitikei · 6: Mataura · 7: Waiau (Southland) · 8: Clarence · 9: Waitaki · 10: Oreti