{{Short description|Lake on Chatham Island, New Zealand}} {{good article}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Lake Huro | image = File:Myriophyllum propinquum at Lake Huro, Chatham.jpeg | caption = View of Lake Huro, showing a ''Myriophyllum'' growth | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Chatham Island, New Zealand | coords = {{coord|43|56|S|176|31|W|region:NZ_type:waterbody_source:GNS-enwiki|display=inline,title}} | type = | inflow = | outflow = Mangapē Creek | catchment = | length = | width = | area = {{convert|598|ha|acre|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|0.3|m|ft|abbr=on}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = | islands = | cities = | frozen = | alt = A photo showing an overview of a shallow lake, with grassy surroundings and sheep. A red floral growth emerges in the middle of the lake }} '''Lake Huro''' is a coastal dune lake on Chatham Island, New Zealand, southwest of Te Whanga Lagoon and close to the settlement of Waitangi. Hosting many waterfowl and a population of New Zealand smelt, the shallow lake contains green and cloudy water, posing a potential toxic hazard due to its outflow through Mangapē Creek to the Nairn River and Waitangi.
== Description == Lake Huro is a coastal dune lake on Chatham Island, New Zealand, located on a strip of land between the Te Whanga Lagoon and the largest settlement on Chatham, Waitangi. It covers an area of around {{Convert|598|ha|acre}}, but with a maximum depth of only {{Convert|0.3|m|ft|abbr=on|sigfig=1}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Lake Huro |url=https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/chatham-islands/lakes/lake-huro |access-date=29 March 2026 |website=Land, Air, Water Aotearoa}}</ref>{{Sfn|Champion|Clayton|2004|p=7}} Like nearby Lake Rangitai, Lake Huro was once an extension of the Te Whanga Lagoon.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=42}}
The lake's sediment mostly consists of sand, with a crust of peat along its shores. The water is green and turbid, stained by the peat. The water visibility was measured in 2004 as just {{Convert|0.1|m|ft}},{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=10}}{{Sfn|Champion|Clayton|2004|p=7}} although the growth of ''Myriophyllum'' (water milfoil) plants in the lake may have led to some increases.{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2023|p=19}} Mangapē Creek drains the lake, running through an area of farmland into the Nairn River (also known as Mangatukurewa Creek) south of Waitangi.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=46}}{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2023|p=38}} The surrounding land is mainly used for livestock grazing, with animals such as sheep given direct access to the lake.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=10}} A small number of residences are located within the lake's drainage basin.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=43}} It has similar water characteristics to other coastal dune lakes on Chatham, especially the nearby Tennants Lake and Lake Rangitai.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=17}}
The lake's water degraded during the early 2020s to hypertrophic, the lowest possible water quality level according to the New Zealand trophic level index.<ref name=":0" />{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2024|p=25}} It has moderate levels of phosphorus and ammoniacal nitrogen, but severely high amounts of nitrogen and algae.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lake Huro Lake Edge |url=https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/chatham-islands/lakes/lake-huro/lake-huro-lake-edge |access-date=29 March 2026 |website=Land, Air, Water Aotearoa}}</ref>{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2023|p=19}} Pollution from nearby residences and farms have likely contributed to the increase in nitrogen.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=43}} In a 2022 survey, Huro was the only one of the island's lakes where chlorophyll ''a'' levels were not found to have increased.{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2023|p=19}} The shallow waters of Huro allow for wind to agitate nutrients in the lake's sediment, making them available for algae to consume. Shallow waters also decrease the volume of water in which nutrients can become diluted.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|pp=42–43}}
Lake Huro's poor water quality poses a risk to nearby settlements, as Mangapē Creek and Mangatukurewa Creek drain into a well-populated waterfront area in Waitangi. Potential blooms of toxic cyanobacteria could endanger nearby livestock, wildlife, shellfish, and local residents.{{Sfn|Meredith|Stevens|Barbour|2024|p=46}} The lake's shoreline is eroding.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=43}}
=== Flora and fauna === Lake Huro hosts a significant population of waterfowl, such as the introduced black swans.{{Sfn|Meredith|Croucher|2007|p=10}}{{Sfn|Baling|McKenzie|Scott|van Vugt|2023|p=12}} It hosts a large population of the New Zealand smelt, alongside small numbers of redfin bullies (a species of goby).{{Sfn|Champion|Clayton|2004|p=14}} In 1949, smelt from the lake (alongside samples from nearby Tennants Lake and Lake Marakapia) were described as a separate species from New Zealand smelt, ''R. chathamensis''; this was later synonymised with ''Retropinna retropinna'', New Zealand smelt. Lake Huro seems to have a genetically distinct population of smelt compared to Lake Marakapia and Tennants Lake.{{Sfn|Ara|2023|pp=53, 64}} A species of the algae ''Lamprothamnium'' grows in the lake.{{Sfn|Champion|Clayton|2004|p=13}}
==References== {{reflist}} === Bibliography === {{Refbegin}} * {{cite thesis |first1=Motia Gulshan |last1=Ara |title=Evolutionary History and Effects of Landlocking on New Zealand Smelts |date=2023 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/10523/15425 |publisher=University of Otago |degree=PhD }} * {{cite report |first1=Paul D. |last1=Champion |first2=John S. |last2=Clayton |title=Aquatic Vegetation of Chatham Island (Rekohu) |journal=Department of Conservation Science Internal Series |publisher=Department of Conservation |date=March 2004 |issue=164 }} *{{cite journal|journal=Perspectives in Biodiversity|volume=1|issue=1|date=2023|title=Observations of Avifauna on Rēkohu / Wharekauri / Chatham Island, Chatham Islands Group, in February 2023|first1=Marleen|last1=Baling|first2=Dayna J. M.|last2=McKenzie|first3=Rowan K.|last3=Scott|first4=Leon H.|last4=van Vugt|first5=Hamish Tuanui|last5=Chisholm|first6=Peter J.|last6=de Lange|pages=1–24|doi=10.34074/pibdiv.001102|hdl=10652/6154|hdl-access=free}} *{{cite report|first1=Adrian S.|last1=Meredith|first2=Robyn|last2=Croucher|title=State of the Environment Monitoring: Water Quality and Ecosystem Health of the Lakes, Streams and Te Whanga, Chatham Island/Rekohu/Wharekauri|publisher=Chatham Islands Council|date=2007|url=https://cic.govt.nz/assets/CIC/Documents/Chatham-Islands-Water-Quality-Summary-2007.pdf}} *{{cite report|first1=Adrian S.|last1=Meredith|first2=Sebastian|last2=Stevens|first3=Sian|last3=Barbour|title=Chatham Islands, Surface Water Summary 2021–22|date=2023|url=https://www.cic.govt.nz/assets/CIC/Documents/Surface-Water-Summary-2021-2022.pdf|publisher=Chatham Islands Council}} *{{Cite report|first1=Adrian|last1=Meredith|first2=Sebastian|last2=Stevens|first3=Sian|last3=Barbour|title=Chatham Islands Surface Water Summary 2022–23|publisher=Chatham Islands Council|date=2024|url=https://www.cic.govt.nz/assets/CIC/Documents/Chatham-water-surface-water-summary-2022-2023.pdf}} {{Refend}} {{Chatham Islands}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huro, Lake}}
Category:Lakes of the Chatham Islands Category:Chatham Island