Lake Moawhango

{{Short description|Small artificial lake in New Zealand}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Lake Moawhango

| image = Lake Moawhango and Moawhango Dam, New Zealand.jpg

| caption = Lake Moawhango looking south towards Moawhango Dam, January 2022

| alt = Lake Moawhango looking south towards Moawhango Dam, January 2022

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| location = Waiouru, North Island

| coords = {{coord|-39.393|175.753|region:NZ-MWT_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

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|pushpin_map=New Zealand North Island

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Moawhango

| outflow = Moawhango Tunnel to Tongariro River

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| basin_countries = New Zealand

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Lake Moawhango is a small artificial lake located with the New Zealand Army's Waiouru Military Camp.{{LINZ|26025|Lake Moawhango|2 May 2019}} It is fed by the Mangaio Stream, boosted by tributaries diverted from the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, and by the Moawhango River. Water is taken from the lake for the Tongariro Power Scheme, feeding the Tongariro River via the Moawhango Tunnel, although some water is released to continue down the Moawhango River nearby the settlement of Moawhango. The lake is dammed at the southern end.

Lake Moawhango contains a large population of wild rainbow trout, and while these are easily caught, they very rarely exceed {{convert|2|lb|kg|1}} in weight. The lake contains three islands, the largest of which is known as Ayers Rock.{{LINZ|16033|Ayers Rock|2 May 2019}}

The exact antipodes of this lake coincide exactly with the dam of Torre de Abraham, in Castilla - La Mancha, Spain (at coordinates {{coord|39.3684|-4.2534|format=dms|type:landmark_region:ES|display=inline|name=Torre de Abraham dam}}).

The New Zealand government is exploring using the lake for a pumped-storage hydroelectricity as an alternative to Lake Onslow.{{cite news |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/sustainable-future/govt-considering-north-island-pumped-hydro-scheme |title=Govt considering North Island pumped hydro scheme |publisher=Newsroom |author=Marc Daalder |date=16 March 2023 |access-date=18 February 2025}}