Lake Ruataniwha

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Lake Ruataniwha
Location	South Island
Lake type	artificial lake
Primary sources	Ohau River
Basin countries	New Zealand

Lake Ruataniwha is located in the Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand's South Island. An artificial lake, it was formed as part of the Waitaki hydroelectric project. It is the site of one of New Zealand's main rowing venues. The Ohau River flows into the lake. It lies on the traditional boundary of the Canterbury and Otago regions. The town of Twizel is located two kilometres north of the lake.

The rowing course was surveyed and anchors put down for lane markers prior to the lake being filled. This work and much more done to prepare the lake as a rowing venue was not officially planned, but instead was built on the instruction of the Project Engineer Max Smith as a public service. He took an early retirement due to the ensuing furore.

The name Ruataniwha is Maori, and means "two taniwha".