Deepest lakes & reservoirs in South Island, NZ 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 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 maximum depth in feet. 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  |
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 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 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… |
| 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… |
| Lake Rotoiti, New Zealand (Marlborough Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
276 ft | Lake Rotoiti, in the Tasman Region of New Zealand is a favorite spot for vacations and holidays. Located within the Nelson Lakes National Park, the de… |
| Lake Pukaki, New Zealand (Christchurch - Canterbury Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
230 ft | Lake Pukaki in the Canterbury region of the South Island is a scenic delight. One of three glacial lakes that lie nearly parallel, the lake gets water… |
| Lake Tekapo, New Zealand (Christchurch - Canterbury Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
120 ft | Lake Tekapo is located in the center of South Island, New Zealand. Known for its intense turquoise hue, the lake stays that color because of “rock flo… |