| Lake Roundabout | |
|---|---|
 Lake Roundabout | |
 | |
| Location | Ashburton District, Canterbury region, South Island |
| Coordinates | 43°37′23″S171°05′42″E / 43.62306°S 171.09500°E |
| Surface elevation | 660 m (2,170 ft) [1] |
Lake Roundabout is a small high-country lake located in inland Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. [2] It is just to the north of Lake Emma, within the Hakatere Conservation Park. [1] [3] [4] The lake has an unnamed tributary from Lake Camp, and it drains to Lake Emma. [1] Lake Roundabout is part of the Ashburton Lakes (Ōtūwharekai), an area of cultural importance to the iwi Ngāi Tahu because the lakes were a significant food-gathering area and also on a main route for travel between the east and west coasts of the South Island (Te Waipounamu). [5]
The lake is popular for fishing and hiking. It can be accessed via a track from the Hakatere Potts road, and is approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Mount Somers. [1]
A case study report published by the Ministry for the Environment in 2023 reported that all the Ōtūwharekai / Ashburton Lakes were nutrient-enriched, with some at risk of deteriorating further into severe eutrophic states, changing from clear water with vegetation, to turbid algae-dominated water. [6] The study reported that pastoral farming was the source for more than 90% of nutrients. [7]
