Lake Karapiro

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lake Karapiro
image_lake = Lake Karapiro boat (73761064).jpg
caption_lake =
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location = North Island
coords = coord|37.92856|S|175.544529|W|region:NZ-WKO_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow = Waikato River
outflow = Waikato River
catchment =
basin_countries = New Zealand
length =
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Lake Karapiro is an artificial lake formed as part of a hydroelectricity scheme on the Waikato River in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 35 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, close to the town of Cambridge.

The lake, regarded as one of New Zealand's best rowing venues, hosted the World Rowing Championships in 1978 and the 1950 British Empire Games. New Zealand has been granted hosting rights for the 2010 World Rowing Championships championships, to be hosted at Karapiro.

"A Fisa inspection panel had visited Lake Karapiro venue in March and said in its report that it was one of the fairest courses in the world they had seen and that the lake was one of the most picturesque in the world." [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10385584 NZ Herald] ]

Etymology

'Kara' means stone, 'piro' means evil-smelling. According to legend, Karapiro was the stronghold of the chief O-Te-Ihingarangi, and was where the Ngati Haua and their Tauranga allies made a defensive pact during the land wars of 1864. [ [http://www.mightyriverpower.co.nz/Generation/AboutUs/HydroStations/Karapiro/Default.aspx Mighty River] ]

Hydroelectric power

The dam for the Karapiro Power Station forms the lake in the original path of the Waikato River. The Horahora Power Station, part of an earlier hydroelectric power scheme, was flooded with the formation of Lake Karapiro. [cite book|last=Martin|first=John E. |title= People, politics and power stations : electric power generation in New Zealand, 1880-1990|date=1991|isbn=0908912161]

References

External links

* [http://www.mightyriverpower.co.nz/Generation/AboutUs/HydroStations/Karapiro/Default.aspx Mighty River Power] - Karapiro information page
* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10385584 2010 World Rowing Championships - Lake Karapiro - NZ Herald]