Lake Moawhango is a small artificial lake located with the New Zealand Army's Waiouru Military Camp.[1] It is fed by the Mangaio Stream, boosted by tributaries diverted from the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, and by the Moawhango River. Water is taken from the lake for the Tongariro Power Scheme, feeding the Tongariro River via the Moawhango Tunnel, although some water is released to continue down the Moawhango River nearby the settlement of Moawhango. The lake is dammed at the southern end.

Lake Moawhango
Lake Moawhango looking south towards Moawhango Dam, January 2022
Lake Moawhango looking south towards Moawhango Dam, January 2022
Location of Lake Moawhango
Location of Lake Moawhango
Lake Moawhango
LocationWaiouru, North Island
Coordinates39°23′35″S 175°45′11″E / 39.393°S 175.753°E / -39.393; 175.753
Primary outflowsMoawhango Tunnel to Tongariro River
Basin countriesNew Zealand

Lake Moawhango contains a large population of wild rainbow trout, and while these are easily caught, they very rarely exceed 2 pounds (0.9 kg) in weight. The lake contains three islands, the largest of which is known as Ayers Rock.[2]

The exact antipodes of this lake coincide exactly with the dam of Torre de Abraham, in Castilla - La Mancha, Spain (at coordinates 39°22′06″N 4°15′12″W / 39.3684°N 4.2534°W / 39.3684; -4.2534 (Torre de Abraham dam)).

The New Zealand government is exploring using the lake for a pumped-storage hydroelectricity as an alternative to Lake Onslow.[3]

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References

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  1. ^ "Place name detail: Lake Moawhango". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Place name detail: Ayers Rock". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  3. ^ Marc Daalder (16 March 2023). "Govt considering North Island pumped hydro scheme". Newsroom. Retrieved 16 March 2023.