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Lake Pukaki

Depth: 70 metres

Area: 17274 hectares

Altitude: 478 metres

Lake ID: 46564

South of Aoraki / Mt Cook Village

Canterbury
44° 4' 24" S
170° 10' 11" E
Highland

Iwi / representative groups:

  • Ngāi Tahu
    • Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua
    • Te Rūnanga o Moeraki

Description

Lake Pukaki is a large glacial fed lake located between Tekapo and Twizel. Aoraki / Mount Cook towers above the northern end of the lake and on a clear day can be seen 70 kilometres away from the southern shore of the lake.
Lake Pukaki formed when the terminal moraines of receding glaciers blocked the valley, forming a moraine-dammed lake. The lake has very good water quality, with it’s distinctive blue colour coming from extremely finely ground rock particles from the glacier, known as glacial flour (https://en.wikipedia.org/). The lake is a reservoir for hydro electric generation (www.lawa.org.nz).
Lake Pūkaki was a kāinga nohoanga (food-gathering settlement) for Ngāi Tahu. Records show weka, pūtakitaki (paradise duck), aruhe (bracken fernroot), and tuna (eels) were gathered here (https://www.kahurumanu.co.nz/atlas).

46564
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Our Lakes

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    • Northland
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    • Manawatū/Whanganui
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    • West Coast
    • Marlborough
    • Canterbury
    • Otago
    • Southland
  • Coastal Lakes
  • Lowland Lakes
  • Highland Lakes
  • Alpine Lakes

About

  • The Project
  • The Science
    • Field Sampling
    • Laboratory Analysis
    • Student Projects
  • Science Aims
  • Rohe Studies
    • Rangitīkei Iwi Rohe Study
    • Wairarapa Moana iwi rohe study
  • Virtual Experience
  • Social Science
  • Iwi Relationships
  • The Team
    • Lakes380 Team
    • Advisory Groups
    • Lakes380 Co-lead Institutes​
    • National Collaborators
    • International Collaborators
  • Partners

Resources

  • Contact & Links
  • Blog, News & Publications
  • Video Gallery
  • Results
  • Glossary