Lake Rotoiti

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Lake Rotoiti is the name of two lakes in New Zealand, one in the South Island and one in the North Island. Rotoiti is Maori for little lake.

[edit] Lake Rotoiti, Nelson

The South Island's Lake Rotoiti lies within the borders of Nelson Lakes National Park. It is fed by the Travers River. The greatest depth is 82 metres and it is surrounded by beech forest. Saint Arnaud is a small community at the northern end of the lake. The water from the lake exits into the Buller River.

Tramping tracks circle the lake and a water taxi travels the length of the lake to ferry trampers to and from the tracks at the head of the lake. The lake is also a popular place for waterskiing and is adjacent to Mt Robert, which hosted a small club-owned skifield, until it was removed by New Zealand Department of Conservation in 2005

The lake has introduced trout which attract recreational fishermen.

[edit] Lake Rotoiti, Bay of Plenty

The North Island's Lake Rotoiti is the last in a chain of lakes formed in volcanic caldera to the north of Lake Taupo. It is close to the northern shore of its more famous neighbour, Lake Rotorua, and connected via the Ohau Channel. It drains to the Kaituna River, which flows into the Bay of Plenty.

In recent years, the quality of lake water has been severely affected by high nitrogen levels due to agricultural run-off from surrounding farms, seepage from domestic septic tanks and inflows of nitrogen rich water from Lake Rotorua. Effects have included an almost permanent algal bloom in the Okere arm of the lake and choking lake weed growth in other still areas of the lake. Some hold fears that if the problem is not dealt with quickly, low levels of light (due to cloudy water) and oxygen deficiency in the lake may lead to its eventual eutrophication (sometimes called biological death). A barrier to divert the nutrient rich waters of Lake Rotorua has been proposed and may be placed at Mourea at the Rotoiti end of the Ohau Channel.