Lake Kereta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Kereta |
|
---|---|
Location | Auckland Region, North Island, New Zealand |
Coordinates | 36°35′44″S 174°16′20″E / 36.5956°S 174.2722°E |
Primary inflows | None |
Primary outflows | None |
Basin countries | New Zealand |
Surface area | 32 ha (79 acres) |
Max. depth | 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) |
Lake Kereta is a cool lake found on the North Island of New Zealand. It's located on the South Head peninsula, which is a piece of land sticking out into the Kaipara Harbour. This area is part of the Rodney District, right along New Zealand's west coast.
This lake is about 32 hectares (79 acres) big, which is like 32 rugby fields! It's also quite shallow, only about 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) deep at its deepest point. The water in Lake Kereta is usually around 21.1 °C (70.0 °F), which can feel quite warm.
Discover Lake Kereta
Lake Kereta is a long, narrow lake. It stretches for a bit more than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in a north-westerly direction. Even though it's long, it's not very wide, less than 250 metres (820 ft) across. Imagine a long, skinny puddle!
How the Lake Works
What makes Lake Kereta special is how it gets its water. Unlike many lakes, no rivers or streams flow into it. And no rivers or streams flow out of it either! So, how does it stay full?
The lake is mostly filled by water that comes from underground. This is like a giant natural spring feeding the lake from below. The only way the lake loses water is through evaporation. This means the sun warms the water, turning it into vapor that goes up into the air.
Because it's so shallow and doesn't have rivers bringing in new water, Lake Kereta is a unique and interesting place to learn about how different lakes are formed and maintained by nature.