Deepest lakes & reservoirs in New Zealand by maximum depth (ft)
The estimated greatest depth of the water in a lake can be measured at the lake’s normal elevation. If the water volume and surface area of a lake are known, an estimate of the lake’s average depth can be calculated:Water volume ÷ Surface Area = Average Depth
Example: 1,000,000 acre-feet ÷ 20,000 acres = 50 feet average depth.
You can find many of the the world’s deepest lakes on LakeLubbers. If you sort the list, you will find the (maximum depth of) the shallowest lakes in our database. Note: For some lakes, lake depth data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 31 articles we have published for New Zealand lakes.
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Use our free interactive vacation rental map to search and compare multiple vacation properties at a glance. Enter a lake name, a state or city and then simply click on a listing to compare all similar properties, best rates and availability for your dates.Search results: Sort lakes by max depth (feet)
Below are lakes within New Zealand > Compared by maximum depth in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in New Zealand, only the 31 New Zealand lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Max depth in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand (Central Otago Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
1,378 ft | Lake Wakatipu on the South Island of New Zealand is fuel for myths, a backdrop for Hollywood movies and a destination for adventure seekers. The depth… |
| Lake Hawea, New Zealand (Central Otago Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
1,286 ft | Surrounded by towering mountains in Central Otago of New Zealand’s South Island, Lake Hawea is a lake that was formed by glaciers thousands of years a… |
| Lake Wanaka, New Zealand (New Zealand, South Island, NZ, Wanaka Region, South Island, NZ) |
1,000 ft | Formed by glaciers thousands of years ago and located on South Island, New Zealand, Lake Wanaka is New Zealand’s fourth largest lake and contains crys… |
| Lake Te Anau, New Zealand (Fiordland Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
906 ft | Lake Te Anau, located in the southwestern corner of South Island in New Zealand, is situated with rolling hillside country on the eastern side and mag… |
| Lake Coleridge, New Zealand (Christchurch - Canterbury Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
656 ft | Nestled snugly between two mountain ranges and surrounded by lush green farming valleys, Lake Coleridge’s clear blue waters are a breathtaking wonder… |
| Lake Kaniere, New Zealand (New Zealand, South Island, NZ, West Coast Region, South Island, NZ) |
640 ft | At 5,436 acres, Lake Kaniere is the second largest lake among the West Coast lakes of the South Island of New Zealand. With 12 miles of shoreline and… |
| Lake Taupo, New Zealand (New Zealand, North Island, NZ, Taupo Region, North Island, NZ) |
538 ft | If you are making your first visit to New Zealand, Lake Taupo in the Taupo Region of the North Island is an excellent first choice. New Zealand’s larg… |
| Lake Ohau, New Zealand (Marlborough Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
423 ft | Lake Ohau, in the Mackenzie Basin of the Waitaki District, South Island is an often overlooked lake and mountain paradise. The smallest of three paral… |
| Lake Rotomahana (New Zealand, North Island, NZ, Rotorua Region, North Island, NZ) |
410 ft | The Eighth Wonder of the World was the description conferred upon Lake Rotomahana’s geothermal “Pink and White Terraces.” The terraces were New Zealan… |
| Lake Brunner, New Zealand (New Zealand, South Island, NZ, West Coast Region, South Island, NZ) |
359 ft | Moana Kotuku is what the Maori call Lake Brunner, naming it after the beautiful and rare white herons (kotuku) sometimes seen on the lake’s shores. Th… |
| Lake Tarawera, New Zealand (New Zealand, North Island, NZ, Rotorua Region, North Island, NZ) |
287 ft | Lake Tarawera in the Rotorua District of the Bay of Plenty Region is a highly prized vacation lake. This deep and clear volcanic lake lies in the Okat… |
| Nelson Lakes (Nelson Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
276 ft | Also known as Lake Rotoiti, Lake Rotoroa, Lake Angelus, Lake Constance, Blue Lake The Nelson Lakes in New Zealand’s Tasman District are some of the most famous yet most remote in the country. Nelson Lakes National Park, located at t… |