45-554: The Kepler Mire , or Dismal Swamp east of Lake Manapouri , is the largest wetland in the Te Anau basin complex in New Zealand, covering more than 900 ha (altitude 220–230 m). Like the neighbouring mountain range, it is named in honour of astronomer Johannes Kepler . Its dome is about three metres higher at the centre than at the margins. The peat development reaches depths of up to 4.7 m. The total volume of peat in this mire
90-541: A bachelor's or higher degree, and 51 (25.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 30,400, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 15 people (7.5%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 108 (53.7%) people were employed full-time, and 36 (17.9%) were part-time. Commercial services include a petrol station/garage, art gallery, cafes, shops, two restaurant and bars as well as overnight hotel, motel and motor camp accommodations. The small Te Anau Airport
135-863: A full day trip. Day walks are the Circle Track, the Hope Arm Track , the Shallow Bay portion of the Kepler Track and the Frazers Beach Reserve walkways. Supply Bay Road and the Rainbow Reach area are reasonably cycle-friendly. The Manapouri-Te Anau Cycle trail is currently still under negotiation between the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Trails Trust . A natural monument, in
180-406: A lowered lake level. Also the forest that surrounded the lake was reliant on a variation of water levels. Shoreline beech forest extended almost 3m below the highest natural lake level. The roots of this forest could be submerged for a maximum of 50 days meaning that lake levels needed to be maintained within a range that did not exceed this maximum. The raising of the lake levels too high also had
225-421: A number of differences to ocean shores. The short fetch length produces a narrow range of wave conditions and this low energy limits the size of sediment in transport. Large changes to the beach profile are induced by fluctuations in lake level, major fluctuations can drown beaches. The beaches on the lake develop a distinctive shelf profile whereby beach sediments grade lakeward into fine sand. The outer edge of
270-412: A population density of 184 people per km . It is part of the larger Mararoa statistical area . Manapouri had a population of 222 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 21 people (10.4%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 72 people (−24.5%) since the 2006 census . There were 102 households, comprising 117 males and 108 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female. The median age
315-464: A third at 1,143 millimetres (45.0 in) annually. Lake Manapouri drains a large catchment area of 1,388 square kilometres (536 sq mi). This includes the slopes of the Kepler Mountains, Turret Range and Hunter Mountains which surround all but the eastern shore of the lake. Water levels in the lake are predominantly high during spring due to snow melt and low in winter. Lake Manapouri
360-401: Is 178 metres (584 ft) above sea level however due to glaciers, Lake Manapouri has been cut deep into the ground and the bottom of the lake now lies 267 metres (876 ft) below sea level. The lake has four arms, North, South, West and Hope with the smaller indentations of Shallow Bay and Calm Bay. Lake Manapouri contains 33 islands in total with 22 of these being wooded. Lying close to
405-735: Is a small town in Southland / Fiordland , in the southwest corner of the South Island , in New Zealand . The township is the westernmost municipality in New Zealand. Located at the edge of the Fiordland National Park , on the eastern shore of Lake Manapouri , close to its outflow into the Waiau River , tourist boat services are based in the town. Manapouri township is a 20-minute drive from Te Anau via State Highway 95 The town
450-459: Is blocked by the hydro-electric dam which means that eels can be killed when passing through the turbines. A vertical slot fish pass was installed in 1999 and trap and transfer of elvers (young eels) was started in summer 1998/1999. Since the trap and transfer operation commenced in 1998/99 more than 407,000 elvers have been transferred upstream of the Maraoa Control structure. Catch totals in
495-579: Is confusion as to some differences with some researchers finding that the area of an island plays a role in species richness with others find no correlation at all. Red deer have greatly modified much of Fiordlands' vegetation however only the two largest islands within Lake Manapouri contain introduced red deer while other islands are only occasionally visited by deer. The smaller islands around Lake Manapouri are extremely unusual as they contain natural vegetation which has not been harmed by red deer, as
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#1733085012451540-647: Is estimated at 20.5 million cubic metres. The Kepler Mire is internationally biologically significant because it is the most extensive pool system of the string bog form found in New Zealand. The best public viewing is from the Mount York Road, some 2 km from the Highway 95 intersection. The Mire was filmed by helicopter for the Peter Jackson film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , in which it
585-408: Is however free from macrophyte Lagarosiphon major an exotic and invasive species which has infiltrated many other New Zealand lakes. Lake Manapouri provides 73% of New Zealand’s longfin eel lake habitat protected from commercial fishing. However the lake has experienced a decline in numbers of longfin eels due to the construction of the hydro- electric dam blocking eel migration. The outflow passage
630-552: Is located on the West Arm of Lake Manapouri , with most of the electricity generated serving the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter (which is announced to close at the end of 2024). Workers at the power plant are ferried by boat from Manapouri, as there is no road access to the power station. Manapouri was declared the "highest consumer of water" in New Zealand in 2010 because of the power station, which consumes 41 percent of
675-555: Is mostly native species. Lake Manapouri has a high diversity of submerged vegetation. The rare Hydatella inconspicua an endemic shallow water plant was found in many of the Fiordland lakes including Lake Manapouri in 1998, this was the first reporting of it being in the South Island. The finding meant that the plant was no longer considered endangered. The shoreline in the North and West of
720-488: Is often described as New Zealand’s most beautiful lake. The area is well renowned for its fishing and high water quality. Both Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau lie within the ultra-oligotrophic index on the trophic state index with clear highly oxygenated waters of very low biological productivity. Both lakes along with the connecting Waiau River contain the New Zealand longfin eel and introduced brown trout and rainbow trout as well as some Atlantic salmon . The area
765-505: Is regarded as a major milestone in the history of New Zealand's environmental protection. As a result of the campaign, lake levels were required to be maintained at close to natural levels. The win also saw the establishment in 1973 of the Guardians of Lake Manapouri and Te Anau. The water pumped through the station is discharged into Doubtful Sound, accounting for 41 percent of the fresh water consumed in New Zealand in 2010. In 2002,
810-595: Is situated 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of the township and serves both Te Anau and Manapouri. There are several tourist boat excursions based in Manapouri to service the Fiordland Sounds to fishing charters and boat hire. Excursions originating at Pearl Harbour at the southern end of Manapouri township take tourists across Lake Manapouri to view the underground hydroelectric facility, or continue on by bus over Wilmot Pass to boat tours of Doubtful Sound, adding up to
855-653: Is situated within the Fiordland National Park and the wider region of Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. According to Māori legend Lake Manapouri was created by the tears of two sisters, Moturua and Koronae, who were daughters of an old chief in the region. Koronae journeyed deep into the forest one day only to become stranded after a fall. Her sister Moturua went looking for her and when she found Koronae she realised that Koronae could not be rescued. Moturua lay with Koronae and there they lay until they died, their tears creating Lake Manapouri. Lake Manapouri means anxious or sorrowful heart because of
900-473: Is the gateway to both Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound and the starting point for many local walking tracks. It is a popular tourist destination, particularly during the summer months. At the intersection of State Highway 95 and Hillside Road is a monument to the Save Manapouri campaign which marks the first mass environmental movement in New Zealand history. The Manapouri Hydroelectric Power Station
945-479: The Government — under pressure from the environmental movement — rejected an application of a business, Southland Water 2000, to bottle 40,000 cubic metres of water in 20 hours, twelve times a year, before the water from the power station is released into Doubtful Sound. The environmental movement of Save Manapouri campaign is considered to be the first environmental movement in New Zealand . When this movement won
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#1733085012451990-641: The River Anduin) and Norwest Lakes (for the iconic shot of the fellowship traversing mountain peaks). It is also rumoured that locations in the Fiordland National Park were used in The Ring of Power season one, as a film crew were spotted near Manapouri. Manapouri is home to the Wee Bookshop, made famous through the memoir of Ruth Shaw's. The bookshops were built in 2020 and originally sold titles about
1035-514: The campaign to stop levels on the lake being raised, the government formed the Guardians of Lake Manapouri and Te Anau. This meant that main campaigners during the Save Manapouri campaign were appointed to advise the managers of the hydro-electric power plant on the management of both Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau. This holistic management between nature conservation and hydro-electric development
1080-483: The centre of the lake is the largest island of Pomona Island . Other large islands include Holmwood Island, Rona Island and Mahara Island. The small settlement of Manapouri lies on the eastern shore. The Waiau River (Southland) is both a natural inlet and outlet for the lake, flowing into the northeast of the lake from Lake Te Anau , 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the north and flowing out from Manapouri's south-eastern end. The outlet however has been diverted due to
1125-541: The consents was the creation of regulation patterns through the Te Anau and Manapouri control structures to follow more closely to the natural fluctuations of the Waiau River. The resource consent set up legislation which could restore biological and recreational values to the lower river, particularly the section immediately below the dam. Compensation was also granted for a range of adverse environmental effects associated with
1170-459: The dam due to these concerns. There is concerns also that the trap and transfer operation does not trap enough silvers eels (eels of breeding age) with an average of 200-400 annually. This however equates to only one silver eel per hectare within the lake which is much lower than standards recommended overseas. More research is needed to understand if trap and transfer is the best option in Lake Manapouri. Submerged vegetation within Lake Manapouri
1215-418: The development of Manapōuri Hydroelectric Power Station . Water now flows unnaturally westward to the sea at Deep Cove. Rainfall in the area is high, however due to the mountains in the west rainfall is much higher in this area. The average rainfall for the western arm of Lake Manapouri is 3,786 millimetres (149.1 in) annually, while Manapouri Township on the eastern arm of the lake receives less than
1260-591: The diverting of water through the power station. The Guardians of the Lake were given legal status in the 1990 amendment to the Conservation Act 1987 with additional and similar responsibility for Lake Monowai . The guardians are still active in 2012 and working alongside Meridian Energy , the current owner of the Lake Manapouri Hydroelectric Power Station. Manapouri Manapouri
1305-403: The effects of lake levels on scenic values, conservation, recreation, tourism and other related activities and amenities”. The guardians were entitled to reports from the Government on actions that had been taken that were deemed relevant so they could fulfil their jobs. Defining the natural variation of lake levels was considered very important. The lake had already experienced slumping due to
1350-500: The form of Monument Hill , lies across the lake from the township. This sharply pointed landmark beneath the Hunter Mountains to the west on Manapouri township is a prized destination for adventurous trampers . The eastern end of Lake Manapouri is open for kayak exploration, with 20 islands and many coves, beaches, lagoons, waterfalls, huts, portages and channels with in a day's return paddled from Manapouri township. Manapouri
1395-465: The fresh water consumed by the entire country. In 2002, the Government rejected an application of a business, Southland Water 2000, to bottle 40,000 cubic metres of water in 20 hours, twelve times a year, before the water from the power station is released into Doubtful Sound. Manapouri is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 1.36 km (0.53 sq mi), and had an estimated population of 250 as of June 2024, with
Kepler Mire - Misplaced Pages Continue
1440-458: The grief of the two sisters. However, the present name was given by mistake. An early settler accidentally called it by the name of one of the Mavora Lakes, which lie between Lake Te Anau and Lake Wakatipu . The original name of the lake is believed to have been Roto-ua which translates to Rainy Lake and later Moturau which means Many Islands. Māori have a long history in the area, finding
1485-512: The groundings for the Resource Management Act 1991 were being laid. The Government decided that all empowering legislation for hydro-electric stations should be re-issued. For Lake Manapouri this meant a public process was established whereby a working party was formed to examine and resolve a wide range of environmental issues. Lake management guidelines and shoreline monitoring were formalised under resource consents. Also included in
1530-410: The lake and its surroundings offering an abundance of food in the form of eels and birds such as pigeon and Kākā (forest parrot). Manapouri was discovered by Europeans in 1852, by the explorers Charles J Nairn and W H Stevens. Lake Manapouri was formed by glaciers during the last Holocene . The lake is New Zealand’s second deepest lake measuring 444 metres (1,457 ft) deep. Lake Manapouri
1575-458: The lake remains substantially unaltered since deglaciation . Beaches have formed on the lake where rivers bring sediment to areas where the near shore relief is not too steep allowing pocket beaches to form. The beaches around the lake show many similarities to ocean shores. The shape of the lake funnels wind and waves down the long axis which leads to longshore transport or littoral drift of sediment and size selective sorting. There are however
1620-442: The potential to submerge low-lying islands, many of which contained natural vegetation unharmed by red deer. Lake management guidelines were devised from geomorphological and ecological studies correlated with a 37-year lake level record. The concepts of High, Main and Low Operating Ranges were developed as a basis for management guidelines. The guidelines were verified in practice and incorporated into legislation in 1981. In 1987
1665-554: The red deer have not been able to reach the islands. On these islands palatable plants as well as deep moss mat on the forest floor persist under the dense understory layers of the forest. The Australian brush-tail possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula ) is not present on the islands. The lake provides hydro-electric power via the Manapōuri Hydroelectric Power Station , in the West Arm, which discharges water through two 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) tailrace tunnels to
1710-547: The refurbishment of the hall and in acknowledgement of the town's generosity. The crew was not allowed to use large granite boulders located in the forest near Lake Manapouri and instead created artificial rocks, two of which were gifted to the townspeople. Other locations near the town were used for filming, including the Kepler Mire (for panning, aerial shots of the Dead Marshes and other swamps), Waiau River (for various shots of
1755-507: The sea at Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound . In 1959 Consolidated Zinc , with the support of the New Zealand government, planned to raise the lake by up to 30 metres (98 ft) for an increase in power generation for the development of an aluminium smelter . This resulted in a strong nationwide protest, the Save Manapouri campaign , lasting over a decade, which prevented the raising of the lake from taking place. The Save Manapouri campaign
1800-537: The shelf is marked by a shelf break and a transition to organic-rich muds on a steep offshore slope. There are a number of different types of beaches including pavement beaches, gravel, mixed sand and gravel beaches and sand beaches. The islands around Lake Manapouri are of varying size and isolation. Many of the islands contain virtually unmodified vegetation. However, there is large diversity between islands in habitat biodiversity, with some islands being completely devoid of plants and soil and other rich in both. There
1845-427: The trap and transfer system can vary in correspondence to surface water temperatures falling below 15 °C (288 K). The trap and transfer technique was successful in improving fish distribution however operations had to be stopped in 2004 due to the concerns that transferring elvers to upstream habitats would spread the exotic invasive algae Didymosphenia geminata . The operation now transfers elvers just past
Kepler Mire - Misplaced Pages Continue
1890-558: Was 56.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 21 people (9.5%) aged under 15 years, 30 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 111 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 63 (28.4%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.6% European/ Pākehā , 9.5% Māori , 1.4% Asian , and 4.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.1% had no religion, 41.9% were Christian and 2.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (14.9%) people had
1935-504: Was a site of filming for Peter Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. During a late snowstorm one November, Manapouri Hall was used to film the scene in The Two Towers in which Frodo, Samwise and Gollum attempt to enter the black gates of Mordor. According to Jackson, the townspeople only asked for a small fee for the film crew to use the hall but the production gifted a large sum for
1980-490: Was unprecedented in New Zealand. The group was to “report and make recommendations of Government… on any matter arising from the environmental, ecological and social effects of the construction and operation of the Manapouri-Te Anau electric power scheme on the townships of Manapouri and Te Anau, the lakes and shorelines of Te Anau and Manapouri, and the rivers flowing in and out of these lakes with particular reference to
2025-480: Was used to portray the Dagorlad Battlefield or Dead Marshes . 45°31′50″S 167°41′01″E / 45.53056°S 167.68361°E / -45.53056; 167.68361 This Southland Region geography article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lake Manapouri Lake Manapouri ( Māori : Manapōuri ) is located in the South Island of New Zealand . The lake
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