Lake Pukaki is the second-largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin (the others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau). All three lakes were created by receding glaciers blocking their respective valleys with their terminal moraine (a moraine-dammed lake). The glacial feed to the lakes gives them a distinctive blue colour, created by glacial flour (extremely finely ground rock particles from the glaciers). It covers an area of 80 km², and is at an altitude of 480 metres above sea level.
Lake Pukaki is the second-largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin (the others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau). All three lakes were ...