Search all sites near me now
Search your favourite swimming spots

Lake Hāwea

Lake Hāwea covers an area of 141 km², has a maximum depth of 392 metres, and is 35 km long and 8 m across, at its widest point. It has excellent water quality and is classified as oligotrophic. The main rivers flowing into Lake Hāwea and much of the catchment sits within the Hāwea Conservation Area.

Lake Hāwea lies in a glacial valley formed during the last ice age and is fed by the Hunter River. Lake Hāwea is dammed to the south by an ancient terminal moraine created some 10,000 years ago. The only flat land around the lake is at its southern end, surrounding its outflow into the Hāwea River, a short tributary of the Clutha, which it joins near Albert Town. In 1958 the lake was raised artificially by 20 metres to store more water for increased hydroelectric power generation.

The settlement of Hāwea is found at the lake's southern shore. Lake Hāwea is a popular resort, and is well used in the summer for fishing, boating and swimming. The nearby mountains and fast-flowing rivers allow for adventure tourism year-round, with jetboating and skiing facilities located nearby.

Lake Hāwea is classified as oligotrophic owing to its low nutrient levels and excellent water quality. A water body’s trophic state is largely determined by nutrient inputs from the surrounding catchment. The major input into Lake Hāwea is the Hunter River, which has glacial origins and high water quality. While much of the catchment is located within the Hāwea Conservation Area and has little development there  is some nutrient input into the lake from the township of Hāwea (i.e. stormwater) and runoff from fertilised agricultural areas.

 

Lake Summary
  • Lake size
    {{lakeDetails.size}}
  • Maximum depth
    {{lakeDetails.maxdepth}}
  • Catchment size
    {{lakeDetails.catchmentsize}}
  • Mixing pattern
    {{lakeDetails.mixingpattern}}
  • Geomorphic type
    {{lakeDetails.geomorphictype}}
Scientific data for this lake

This dashboard shows information on the data collected by the regional councils and unitary authorities for two indicators of lake water quality and ecological condition: TLI (Trophic Level Index) and LakeSPI (Lake Submerged Plant Indicators).  Select an indicator to see the historical results.

  • Water Quality

    Trophic Level Index (TLI)

    {{rating() | uppercase}}

    {{comment()}}

    The TLI score is an indicator of lake health and is determined from a suite of water quality measurements.

    Show more information Hide information

    Trophic Level Index (TLI) history for this lake

    The TLI score for a lake is calculated from four water quality measurements – chlorophyll a, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and water clarity. If water clarity is unavailable, TLI is calculated using the other three water quality measurements. A higher score indicates poorer water quality.

    View a factsheet on TLI

    Showing:
    to
    TLI history for Lake Hāwea
    Year

    What do the icons mean?

    VERY GOOD
    Very good water quality. Trophic Level Index of 0-2. Microtrophic lake conditions.
    GOOD
    Good water quality. Trophic Level Index of 2-3. Oligotrophic lake conditions.
    FAIR
    Average water quality. Trophic Level Index of 3-4. Mesotrophic lake conditions.
    POOR
    Poor water quality. Trophic Level Index of 4-5. Eutrophic lake conditions.
    VERY POOR
    Very poor water quality. Trophic Level Index of greater than 5. Supertrophic lake conditions.
    NO DATA
    No data available.
    TLI history for Lake Hāwea data table
    Year TLI Score
    Year TLI Score
     Download data
  • Ecological Conditions

    Lake Submerged Plant Indicators (LakeSPI)

    {{rating() | uppercase}}

    {{comment()}}

    The LakeSPI status describes the ecological condition of the lake and is based on plants present.

    LakeSPI data provided by NIWA

    Show more information Hide information

    LakeSPI history for this lake

    LakeSPI (Lake Submerged Plant Indicators) is a method of characterising the ecological condition of lakes based on the composition of native and invasive plants growing in them. A higher LakeSPI percentage result is associated with better ecological health:

    LakeSPI N/A
    LakeSPI {{spiData.details.Value}}%

    The overall LakeSPI score is calculated using a Native Condition Index ('good' plants) and an Invasive Impact Index (introduced, non-native plants):

    Native Condition N/A
    Native Condition {{spiData.details.NativeIndex}}%
    Invasive Impact N/A
    Invasive Impact {{spiData.details.InvasiveIndex}}% NA

    A higher Native Condition value indicates better ecological condition, but a higher Invasive Impact value indicates invasive plants are negatively impacting native plant communities.
    View a factsheet on LakeSPI for more information on these indicators.

    • LakeSPI
    • Native Condition
    • Invasive Impact
    Showing:
    to
    LakeSPI history for Lake Hāwea
    Year

    What is this graph showing me?

    This graph is displaying the overall LakeSPI score over time. The results denote the ecological condition of the lake.

    EXCELLENT
    Excellent ecological health. A LakeSPI score of 75-100%.
    HIGH
    High ecological health. A LakeSPI score of 50-75%.
    MODERATE
    Moderate ecological health. A LakeSPI score of 20-50%.
    POOR
    Poor ecological health. A LakeSPI score of 0-20%.
    NON-VEG
    Non-vegetated. A LakeSPI score of 0% (there are no plants present).
    NO DATA
    No data available.
    LakeSPI history for Lake Hāwea data table
    Sample Date LakeSPI Status LakeSPI % Native Condition Index % Invasive Impact Index %
    LakeSPI information has been provided by NIWA.
Sites

Monitored sites on Lake Hāwea

...retrieving sites.

No sites found.

Latest news and stories

Upcoming events