Lake Ohakuri, at , is the largest artificial
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
of the
Waikato
Waikato () is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...
river system in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. It forms the reservoir for the
Ōhakuri hydroelectric power station. Construction of the dam, approved in 1955, began in 1956 and was completed in 1960. The lake was filled over 14 days in January and February 1961. This drowned two thirds of the
Orakei Korako
Orakei Korako is a highly active geothermal area most notable for its series of fault-stepped sinter terraces, located in a valley north of Taupō on the banks of the Waikato River in the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. It is also known as ...
geothermal area, including two of the world's largest
geysers, Minginui Geyser and Orakei Korako Geyser.
See also
*
Ohakuri Dam
*
List of dams and reservoirs in New Zealand
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohakuri, Lake
Infrastructure completed in 1961
Reservoirs in New Zealand
Waikato River
Lakes of Waikato