Lake Pukaki facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Pukaki
Lake Pukaki
Lake Pukaki Location in South Island
Location of Lake Pukaki
Location	Mackenzie District, Canterbury region, South Island
Coordinates	44°07′S 170°10′E / 44.117°S 170.167°E / -44.117; 170.167
Primary inflows	Tasman River
Primary outflows	Pukaki River
Catchment area	1,413 km2 (546 sq mi)
Basin countries	New Zealand
Surface area	178.7 km2 (69.0 sq mi)
Average depth	47 m (154 ft)
Max. depth	70 m (230 ft)
Water volume	4.66 km3 (3,780,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	518.2 to 532 m (1,700 to 1,745 ft)
Frozen	never (winter air temperatures can reach as low as −20 °C (−4 °F) though)
Islands	Five Pound Note Island (now submerged)
Settlements	Twizel

Lake Pukaki, looking towards Mount Cook, in summer

Lake Pukaki is the largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand's South Island. The others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau. All three lakes were formed when the terminal moraines of receding glaciers blocked their respective valleys, forming moraine-dammed lakes. The Alps2Ocean mountain bike trail follows the edge of Lake Pukaki for part of its length.

Images for kids

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  Lake Pukaki (bottom centre) and its neighbouring lakes are separated from the West Coast by the Southern Alps.

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  Statue of the Himalayan Tahr, introduced to New Zealand in 1904.