The Wairehu Canal links two great Rainbow trout fishing lakes,
Lake Otamangakau and Lake Rotoaira and is part of the Tongariro
Power Development Scheme.
The Whakapapa Intake forms the start of the Western Diversion. A
large tunnel, carries the water from the Whakapapa Intake to the
man made Lake Otamangakau. On the way water is also collected from
four smaller streams - Okupata, Taurewa, Tawhitikuri and
Mangatepopo streams, see caches “Breath of the Taniwha”
and “Steam on Rails”. Also flowing into Lake
Otamangakau is water from the Upper Wanganui River and the
Otamangakau stream. Total mean flow from all these streams is about
5 cumecs.
The water then goes via the Wairehu Canal to Lake Rotoaira,
which then is combined with the water from the Eastern Diversion
(Tongariro River). This water then flows through a tunnel to the
Tokaanu power station to generate electricity (240MW) before
joining Lake Taupo. The water from the western diversion, then
provides extra water for the many hydro stations on the Waikato
River, the outlet from Lake Taupo.
FTF honours go to: bayraider