Huka Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Huka Falls |
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Huka Falls.
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| Location | Taupo, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 38°38′58″S 176°05′23″E / 38.649497°S 176.089683°E |
| Type | Cascade |
| Watercourse | Waikato River and Lake Taupo |
| Average flow rate |
220 m³/s (220,000 litres/second) |
The Huka Falls are amazing waterfalls located on the Waikato River in New Zealand. This powerful river flows out of Lake Taupo, which is the largest lake in New Zealand. The falls are a very popular spot for tourists and are known for their incredible speed and bright blue water.
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The Power of Huka Falls
The Huka Falls are famous for the huge amount of water that rushes through them. Just before the falls, the Waikato River is about 100 metres wide. But then, it suddenly squeezes into a narrow canyon, only 15 metres wide! This canyon was carved out of old lake bed sediments. These sediments were laid down long before a massive volcanic eruption happened about 26,500 years ago.
How Much Water Flows?
An incredible amount of water flows through Huka Falls every second. Often, about 220,000 litres of water rush past each second. That's enough to fill 11 large swimming pools every single second!
The amount of water flowing through the falls is carefully controlled. A company called Mercury NZ Ltd manages the flow using gates at Lake Taupo. They work with the local Waikato Regional Council. This helps to manage water levels and prevent flooding further down the Waikato River. They can change the flow from 50,000 litres per second up to 319,000 litres per second.
The Height of the Falls
The Huka Falls are not one single big drop. Instead, they are a series of powerful cascades. At the very top, there are smaller waterfalls that drop about 8 metres. The main part of the falls is a final drop of about 6 metres. However, because the water below is so deep, it feels like an 11-metre fall.
A Popular Tourist Spot
The Huka Falls are one of New Zealand's most visited natural attractions. They are very close to the town of Taupo. It's also easy to get to them from State Highway One. Visitors love to watch the powerful water and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Images for kids
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The narrow canyon, with the tourist bridge visible at the top left.
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Looking upstream against the fast and powerful current of Huka Falls
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Jetboat near the base of Huka Falls
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The Huka falls and the observation point
