Lake Coleridge

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Lake Coleridge

Location	Selwyn District, Canterbury Region, South Island
Coordinates	43°17′S 171°30′ECoordinates: 43°17′S 171°30′E
Primary inflows	Harper, Wilberforce
Basin countries	New Zealand
Surface area	47 km²
Max. depth	200 m ^[1]
References	^[1]

Lake Coleridge is located in inland Canterbury, in New Zealand's South Island. Located 35 kilometres to the northwest of Methven, it has a surface area of 47 km².

The lake is located to the north of the Rakaia River, and is the site of one of the country's earliest hydroelectric schemes, completed in 1914. The project makes use of the difference in altitude between the lake and river (the lake is 150 metres higher). Both the Harper and Wilberforce Rivers have had some of their flow diverted into the lake.

In her book New Zealand Mysteries, Robyn Gosset mentions a rash of sightings during the 1970's of "Lakey" a large animal living in the lake. No reports have emerged since. ^[2]