Lake Rotoiti (Bay of Plenty) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Rotoiti |
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 Lake Rotoiti
Location in North Island
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| Location | Rotorua Lakes, Bay of Plenty Region, North Island |
| Coordinates | 38°02′20″S 176°25′40″E / 38.0390°S 176.4277°E |
| Type | crater lake |
| Primary outflows | Kaituna River |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 34.3 square kilometres (13.2 sq mi)< |
| Average depth | 33 metres (108 ft)< |
| Max. depth | 93.5 metres (307 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 279 metres (915 ft) |
Lake Rotoiti is a beautiful lake found in the Bay of Plenty area of New Zealand. It's one of several lakes that formed inside a huge ancient volcano called the Okataina caldera. This lake is very close to its more famous neighbour, Lake Rotorua. They are even connected by a channel called the Ohau Channel. Water from Lake Rotoiti flows out into the Kaituna River, which then reaches the ocean at the Bay of Plenty.
About Lake Rotoiti
Lake Rotoiti is a large and important lake. It stretches about 15 kilometers (9 miles) long and is up to 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) wide. The lake covers an area of about 34.3 square kilometers (13.2 square miles). It can be quite deep, reaching a maximum depth of 93.5 meters (307 feet) in some spots. The lake sits about 279 meters (915 feet) above sea level.
Its Name and History
The full Māori name for the lake is Te Rotoiti-kite-a-Īhenga. In the Māori language, this means "The Small Lake Discovered By Īhenga". Īhenga was a famous Māori explorer who also found Lake Rotorua. The story says that when Īhenga first saw Lake Rotoiti, he could only see a small part of it. Because of this, he thought the lake was much smaller than it actually is.
Keeping the Lake Clean
Since the 1960s, the water quality in Lake Rotoiti faced some challenges. Water flowing in from Lake Rotorua, along with runoff from nearby farms and leaks from home septic tanks, brought too many nutrients into the lake. This caused problems like almost constant algal blooms (a lot of tiny green plants growing in the water) and thick lake weed in calm areas.
To help fix this, a special barrier was built in late 2008. This barrier helps to send the nutrient-rich water from Lake Rotorua directly into the Kaituna River, instead of letting it flow into Lake Rotoiti.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council expected the lake water to get much better within five years. By 2013, reports showed that the barrier had really helped. The water quality in Lake Rotoiti is now the best it has been in many decades. It is meeting the goals set to keep the lake healthy for everyone to enjoy.
Fun Things to Do
Lake Rotoiti is a great place for activities. On the southern side of the lake, there are natural hot-spring baths. You can only reach these special baths by boat, making them a unique adventure!
See also
In Spanish: Lago Rotoiti para niños
