Lake Waipori

{{Short description|Lake in Otago, New Zealand}}

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

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

{{Infobox body of water

|name = Lake Waipori

|image = Waipori.jpg

|caption = The lake and its surrounding wetlands, seen from the hills to the southeast. The Sinclair Wetlands are to the left of the picture.

| alt = Lake Waipori

|image_bathymetry =

|caption_bathymetry =

|pushpin_map=New Zealand Otago peninsula

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Waipori

|location = South Island

|coords = {{Coord|45|58|S|170|07|E|region:NZ_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

|type = Natural freshwater lake

|inflow = Waipori River

|outflow = Waipori River

|catchment =

|basin_countries = New Zealand

|length = {{convert|2.4|km|abbr=on}}

|width = {{convert|1.52|km|abbr=on}}

|area =

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}}

Lake Waipori is the smaller and shallower of the pair of lakes located in the wetlands to the south west of Dunedin in New Zealand on the Waipori River.{{Cite web|title=Waipori/Waihola Wetland Complex|url=https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-our-environment/water/wetlands-and-estuaries/clutha-district/waiporiwaihola-wetland-complex|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.orc.govt.nz|language=en}} The Waipori River is a major tributary of the Taieri River, and these wetlands form the southern edge of the Taieri Plains.{{Cite journal|last1=Schallenberg|first1=Marc|last2=Burns|first2=Carolyn W.|last3=Peake|first3=Barrie M.|date=June 2003|title=A temperate, tidal lake‐wetland complex 1. Water balance and ecological implications|journal=New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research|language=en|volume=37|issue=2|pages=415–428|doi=10.1080/00288330.2003.9517177|issn=0028-8330|doi-access=free}}

The lake is inhabited by various waterfowl and wetland birds.{{Cite web|title=Waihola Waipori Wetlands|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/waihola-taieri-mouth-area/waihola-waipori-wetlands/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Department of Conservation |language=en-nz}}{{Cite book|last=Cromarty|first=Pam|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/nzwetlands12.pdf|title=A directory of wetlands in New Zealand : Otago Conservancy|publisher=Department of Conservation|year=1996|isbn=0-478-01776-6|editor-last=Scott|editor-first=Derek A.|location=Wellington, N.Z.|pages=315–321|oclc=38890560}} It is however too shallow and inaccessible (due to being surrounded with wetlands) to allow for recreation other than fishing and duck hunting in season.

It is possible to travel from the Waipori River at Berwick through the lake and through to Lake Waihola in a flat bottomed dinghy or jetboat.{{Cite journal|last1=Egarr|first1=C.D.|last2=Egarr|first2=J. H.|date=1981|title=New Zealand recreational river survey : an investigation into the recreational potential of New Zealand's inland waterways|url=https://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/w&smp15.pdf|journal=Water & Soil Miscellaneous Publication|volume=15|pages=92|via=NIWA}} The lake is too shallow for other forms of motorboat.

The lake is bordered to the southwest by the Sinclair Wetlands.{{Cite web|last=Harwood|first=Brenda|date=2021-02-04|title=Job scheme gives wetlands a boost|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/the-star/job-scheme-gives-wetlands-boost|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}}