Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora

The Lake Ellesmere is a lake in the Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand. He joins in a westerly direction to the Banks Peninsula on. The coastal lagoon is separated from the Pacific Ocean belonging to the Canterbury - bay only by a narrow strip of alluvial soil, the most 3.5 km wide Kaitorete Spit.

From the small settlement Bird Ling 's Flat on the eastern end, a gravel road extends along the headland. This is the site of the most important stocks of the endangered endemic shrub " Shrubby tororaro " ( Muehlenbeckia astonii ).

The eastern end of the lake is grazed by the State Highway leading to the Banks Peninsula 75.

The 180 km ² lake has low water depth of up to 2.3 m.

The lake is a part in the southeastern part of the Selwyn District and the other in the southwest part of the former Banks Peninsula District, since 2006 a Ward of Christchurch.

The lake is the largest lake in the alluvial fans of the Canterbury Plains. The main tributary of the lake is the Selwyn. However, the lake has no permanent drain. If the water for the surrounding agriculture reached threatening water levels, puts you at artificial drains through the Kaitorete Spit.

The ecosystem of the lake is considered to be highly threatened due to human activities in the Canterbury plains. In the brackish water of the lake flounders and eels occur. On the lake living Canada geese and swans grief.

The little-used name for the lake is the Māori Te Waihora, spreading water (see Lake Waihora ). The lake bed is returned under the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act of 1998 in the Ngai Tahu property of.

Swell

(all sources in English)

• Te Waihora Joint Management Plan, Department of Conservation, December 2005.