Largest lakes & reservoirs in South Island by water volume
This is a comparison for lakes within New Zealand > South Island > - Compared by Largest Lakes - Water Volume in acre-foot.For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Water Volume" is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 17 articles we have published for South Island lakes.
Note: In the United States, an acre foot is a unit of volume used to refer to large-scale bodies of water. It is defined by the volume of water needed to cover 1 acre of surface area to a depth of 1 foot.
Search results: Sort lakes by water volume
Lake name ![]() |
Water vol. in ac-ft ![]() |
Lake description |
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Lake Pukaki (Christchurch - Canterbury, New Zealand, South Island) |
3,777,924 ac-ft | Lake Pukaki in the Canterbury region of the South Island is a scenic delight. One of three glacial lakes that lie nearly parallel, the lake gets water… |
Lake Ohau (Marlborough, New Zealand, South Island) |
3,259,067 ac-ft | Lake Ohau, in the Mackenzie Basin of the Waitaki District, South Island is an often overlooked lake and mountain paradise. The smallest of three paral… |
Lake Brunner (New Zealand, South Island, West Coast) |
1,833,023 ac-ft | Moana Kotuku is what the Maori call Lake Brunner, naming it after the beautiful and rare white herons (kotuku) sometimes seen on the lake’s shores. Th… |
Lake Tekapo (Christchurch - Canterbury, New Zealand, South Island) |
490,000 ac-ft | Lake Tekapo is located in the center of South Island, New Zealand. Known for its intense turquoise hue, the lake stays that color because of “rock flo… |
Lake Waihola (Central Otago, New Zealand, South Island) |
5,909 ac-ft | Located on New Zealand’s South Island, Lake Waihola is situated in a quiet region that makes a peaceful retreat. Almost 4 miles long, the lake is very… |