 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Site assessment conducted |
|
|
|
|
Reference Panel approved |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Feedback and public comment is sought. Please use the feedback form. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Manapouri, New Zealand
|
|
Positive sustainability aspect
|
|
Biodiversity & threatened species
Environmental impacts studies of Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau started in the late 1960’s. They demonstrated a link between patterns of lakeshore vegetation and substrate, tolerance to flooding and tolerance to exposure, i.e. lake levels. Through implementing strict controls on lake levels, particularly rates of change, the vegetation and shoreline/beach remonitoring has revealed that the operating conditions are not detrimental, and there has been little change since hydro-electric development.. |
|
|
|
| Overview
Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri are located within the Fiordland National Park. The Fiordland area of southwestern New Zealand has long been recognised as an area of great scenic beauty. Milford Sound became a primary tourist attraction for ship-board visitors to New Zealand in the early 1880s. In 1888 the development of the Milford Track began and people also began to visit Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri for recreation. Fiordland National Park was proclaimed a public reserve under 1928 legislation and it was designated under the National Parks Act in 1952. The area was accepted for World Heritage Area listing in 1986 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
As Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri are located within the World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park, most of the facilities associated with actual power generation (power station, two tailraces) are located underground. The powerhouse is located 220 m below the surface and enables the 178 m height difference between Lake Manapouri and the sea at Deep Cove to be harnessed for generation.
The project now operates under strict environmental guidelines and is overseen by a community group (“the Guardians”). Major environmental campaigners now openly support the project. |
|
Scheme Specifications
Dam Name
|
|
Scheme operator
Meridian Energy |
Size of scheme (MW)
585 MW, upgraded to 700 MW in 2002 |
Country
New Zealand – South Island |
Catchment area
Lake Te Anau catchment – 3100 km2Lake Manapouri catchment – 1390 km2 |
River
Waiau and Mararoa Rivers, Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau |
Effective reservoir capacity
Run of river |
Construction years
1963 – 1971
Te Anau Lake Control structure completed late 1975.
Manapouri Lake Control structure completed late 1976.
Second tailrace tunnel completed 2002. |
Reservoir size
Lake Te Anau– 352 km2, 520 km of shorelineLake Manapouri catchment – 142 km2, 170 km of shoreline |
|
|
|
|
  |
| Click for Print Friendly Page |
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files, Please download from the link above.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
