Largest lakes & reservoirs in South Island, NZ by acres
There is no widely-accepted minimum surface area that defines a lake. What LakeLubbers describes as a lake, you might call a pond. Acreage of a lake (or sometimes square kilometers) is most often measured at the top surface area when the lake is at normal elevation. The surface area can be considerably smaller or larger when lake levels are lower or higher than normal. North America’s Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by this measure.The other measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s water volume. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia.
You can find many of the world’s largest lakes (acres) on LakeLubbers in the comparison table below. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Acres" data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 17 articles we have published for South Island, NZ lakes.
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Below are lakes within New Zealand > South Island, NZ > Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in South Island, NZ, only the 17 South Island, NZ lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Surface area in acres | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Lake Hayes, New Zealand (Central Otago Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
682 ac | Picturesque when the poplars and willows adorning the lake are aglow with brilliant golds, Lake Hayes is a satisfying subject for photographers and na … |
Lake Clearwater, New Zealand (Christchurch - Canterbury Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
489 ac | Also known as Lake Tripp When the winds are not blowing hard from off the mountains, Lake Clearwater holds images like a broad mirror. In it you can see reflections of the sno … |
Lake Matheson (New Zealand, South Island, NZ, West Coast Region, South Island, NZ) |
74 ac | The only way to approach Lake Matheson on the south island of New Zealand is on foot. Visitors to the South Westland lake park their cars, then start … |