Lake RotokākahiorGreen Lake,is one of four small lakes lying betweenLake RotoruaandLake Tarawerain theBay of Plenty RegionofNew Zealand'sNorth Island.The others areLake Tikitapu(Blue Lake),Lake Ōkāreka,andLake Ōkataina.All lie within theŌkataina Caldera,along its western edge.
| Lake Rotokākahi Green Lake | |
|---|---|
 Lake Rotokākahi | |
 | |
  Lake Rotokākahi Green Lake | |
| Location | Bay of Plenty,North Island |
| Coordinates | 38°13′S176°20′E/ 38.217°S 176.333°E |
| Type | crater lake |
| Primary outflows | Wairoa Steam |
| Catchment area | 27.3 km2(10.5 sq mi)[1]: 56 |
| Basincountries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 4.3 km (2.7 mi)[2] |
| Max. width | 1.7 km (1.1 mi)[2] |
| Surface area | 4.3 km2(1.7 sq mi)[1]: 53 |
| Average depth | 17.7 m (58 ft)[2] |
| Max. depth | 32.0 m (105.0 ft)[2] |
| Surface elevation | 394.9 m (1,296 ft)[1]: 24 |
| Islands | Punaruku Island, Motutawa Island |
| References | [1][2] |
Geography
editThe lake flows toLake Taraweravia the Wairoa Stream (also known asTe Wairoa) past the buriedTe Wairoa villageand itsWairere waterfall.[1]: 52 [3]The Wairoa Stream when it leaves Lake Rotokākahi has a mean flow rate of 310.6 L/s (10.97 cu ft/s) but it picks up subsurface water and tributaries so when it enters Lake Tarawera it has a mean flow rate of 347 L/s (12.3 cu ft/s).[1]: 25 From the air the lake looks emerald green related to its shallow, sandy bottom. The lake is 394 m (1,293 ft)[2]above sea level and 24 m (79 ft)[2][1]: 24 below the level of the neighbouringLake Tikitaputo its north. Its eastern arm is separated from Lake Tikitapu by a lava dam generated during arhyoliticeruption, at the south-western margins of theŌkataina Calderanow dated at 15,635 ± 412 cal.yrBP,.[4]: 15 It contains a small island in its western arm, Punaruku Island and its southern arm has a larger island Motutawa Island.[1]: 52 While the catchment flows into theTarawera Riverwatershed in due course, the south-western aspect of the lake is only a very short distance from theWaikato Riverwatershed.[1]: 52
Ecology
editIt is named for its abundance ofkākahi(freshwater mussels).[5][6]
The lake hadbrown troutintroduced in the 1870s.Rainbow troutwere introduced later.[5]: 60
The lake is classified as mesotrophic,[5]: 10 with moderate productivity and water quality, but has not been assessed recently.[7]Itstrophic level indexwas 3.6 in 2014 which was a decline and relatively high for a local lake.[1]: 5 This may be because 26.3% of its catchment was pasture in 2007.[5]: 10
History
editThe main tribe occupying the Lake Rotokakahi area at the time of European settlement were the Tuhourangi/Ngati Tumatawera, who had migrated from theRotoitiarea following various feuds with neighbouring tribes.[5]: 59 During early European settlement Kaiteriria on the southern lake shore was a base for armed constabulary.[5]: 60 The lake has been under the authority of theTe Arawaiwi,Tūhourangiand Ngati Tumatawera since 1948, when there was disturbance of thetapu,[5]: ii, 61 and remains largely undisturbed[8]
Motutawa
editThis small island in the lake is notable as the site of the 1822 slaughter of a part ofNgāpuhi,as an act of vengeance for relatives killed by the same Ngapuhi warriors in Te Totara, Thames.[5]: 59 This led to the revenge raid ofHongi Hikain 1823.[5]: 59 The island was the main historic stronghold of Tuhourangi/Ngati Wahiao,[5]: 59 and tradition has it as the resting place of the bones ofHinemoa.[5]: 62
The New ZealandMinistry for Culture and Heritagegives a translation of "tawatree island "forMotutawa.[6]
Images
edit-
Aerial view (Lake Tarawera is in the upper right) -
View of Lake Rotokākahi February 2018 -
View of Lake Rotokākahi 2012 -
View of Lake Rotokākahi June 2011 -
1908 view of stream running into Lake Rotokākahi -
View of Lake Rotokākahi from Kaitereria Village in 1881 by Charles Blomfield
References
edit- ^abcdefghijWhite, P; Toews, M; Tschritter, C; Lovett, A (2016)."Nitrogen discharge from the groundwater system to lakes and streams in the greater Lake Tarawera catchment GNS Science Consultancy Report 20151108"(PDF).Retrieved26 August2023.
- ^abcdefgLowe, D.J.; Green, J.D. (1987). Viner, A.B. (ed.).Inland waters of New Zealand.Wellington: DSIR Science Information Publishing Centre. pp. 471–474.ISBN0-477-06799-9.
- ^"NZ Topo pMap:Wairere Falls, Bay of Plenty".Retrieved28 August2023.
- ^Lowe, David; Ilanko, Tehnuka (2023)."Pre-conference tephra data workshop – Hands-on session II: tephra excursion, Okareka Loop Road (29 January 2023)".University of Waikato.Retrieved28 August2023.
- ^abcdefghijkButterworth, Joseph (2008).Lake Rotokakahi - The kakahi (Hyridella menziesi) in a general framework of lake health MS thesis(PDF)(Thesis). University of Waikato.
- ^ab"1000 Māori place names".New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
- ^"Lake Rotokakahi".Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA).Retrieved12 October2021.
- ^"Lake Rotokakahi 2008 Report Card"Archived2010-05-23 at theWayback Machine,Environment Bay of Plenty website