Lake Taupo is New Zealand's largest lake, covering 616 square kilometers. It formed 26,500 years ago when a supervolcano erupted, leaving behind a large crater. Lake Taupo drains into the Waikato River and is a popular trout fishing location. However, the lake is under threat from increasing nitrogen levels from surrounding land use. Local agencies are working to reduce nitrogen by 20% to maintain current water quality standards in Lake Taupo.

1. Lake Taupo By Krishan Mani

2. Lake Taupo New Zealand's largest lake is Lake Taupo, extending to 616 square kilometres (or 238 sq miles). This makes it almost identical in size to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia and slightly smaller than Singapore. Lake Taupo formed in the crater left behind after a super volcano erupted 26,500 years ago

3. Facts Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the largest freshwater lake by surface area in Oceania. Lake Taupo has a perimeter of approximately 193 kilometres, a deepest point of 186 metres. It is drained by the Waikato River (New Zealand's longest river), while its main tributaries are the Waitahanui River, the Tongariri River, and the Tauranga-Taupo River. It is a noted trout fishery with stocks of introduced brown trout and rainbow trout.

4. Protecting Lake Taupo Scientists agree that Lake Taupo is under threat from increasing nitrogen leaching from land uses in the catchment. To just maintain the lake's current water quality, we need to reduce the amount of nitrogen coming from farmland and urban areas by 20 per cent. As the local government agency responsible for the lake's water quality, Environment Waikato has been working together with Taupo District Council, central government, Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board, other agencies and groups to find the best solutions for both the lake and the community.

5. How clean is Lake Taupo? Water quality for swimmingEnvironment Waikato measures bacteria levels in the water at 18 sites around the edge of Lake Taupo. E. coli bacteria is a useful indicator of the health risk for contact recreation such as swimming or water skiing. Water quality for ecological healthEnvironment Waikato measures chlorophyll a, Secchi depth, total phosphorus and total nitrogen at the deep water sampling site to monitor the whole lake’s water quality long-term.

6. Reference http://www.emigratenz.org/ReallyAndTruly.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Taupo http://www.ew.govt.nz/Environmental-information/Rivers-lakes-and-wetlands/Learn-about-our-lakes/Lake-Taupo/How-clean-is-Lake-Taupo/

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