Huka Falls
Huka Falls is a set of waterfalls on the Waikato River, which drains Lake Taupō in New Zealand.
| Huka Falls | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Taupō, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 38.649497°S 176.089683°E |
| Type | Cascade |
| Watercourse | Waikato River |
| Average flow rate | 220 m³/s [1] |
A few hundred metres upstream from Huka Falls, the Waikato River narrows from approximately 100 metres across to a canyon only 15 metres across. The canyon is carved into lake floor sediments laid down before Taupō Volcano's Oruanui eruption 26,500 years ago.[2]
The volume of water flowing through often approaches 220 cubic meters per second, making it one of the highest flowing waterfalls in the world. The flow rate is regulated by Mercury NZ Ltd through the Taupō Control Gates as part of their hydro system planning, with Waikato Regional Council dictating flows during periods of downstream flooding in the Waikato River catchment.[3] Mercury NZ have ability to control the flows between 50 cubic meters per second and 319 cubic meters per second.
At the top of the falls is a set of small waterfalls dropping about eight meters. The final stage of the falls is a six metre drop, raised to an effective 11 meter fall by the depth of the water. The falls are a popular tourist attraction, being close to Taupō and readily accessible from State Highway 1.
The narrow canyon, with the tourist bridge visible at top left
Looking upstream against the fast, powerful current of the falls
Jetboat near the base of Huka Falls
Huka Falls and the observation point
See also
References
- "Huka Falls New Zealand". www.hukafalls.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- Mike Rosenberg; Geoff Kilgour (6–9 December 2004). "Field Trip 1: Taupo Volcano" (PDF). Field Trip Guides. Taupō: Geological Society of New Zealand. p. 5. ISBN 0-908678-99-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
- Wade, Pamela (10 January 2020). "World Famous in New Zealand: Taupō's Huka Falls". Stuff. Retrieved 24 August 2023.