Pōhutu Geyser

{{Short description|Geyser in New Zealand}}

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

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox spring

| name = Pōhutu Geyser

| photo = Priroda Aotearoe.jpg

| photo_width =

| photo_caption = Pōhutu Geyser erupting in 2023

| map =

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| map_caption =

| name_origin = From Māori for 'big splash'

| location = Whakarewarewa, Taupō Volcanic Zone

| elevation =

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| hot_spring_type = Geyser

| height = {{cvt|30|m}}

| duration = 10-20 minutes

| frequency = Roughly hourly

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| temperature =

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File:WhakarewarewaAerial.jpg

Pōhutu Geyser is a geyser in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, Rotorua, in the North Island of New Zealand.{{Cite news |last=Brunton|first=Tess|date=27 May 2017|title=World Famous in New Zealand: Te Puia, Rotorua|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/91918321/world-famous-in-new-zealand-te-puia-rotorua |archive-url=|archive-date= |access-date=2 February 2021 |work=Stuff|language=en}} The geyser is the largest in the southern hemisphere and among the most active in the area, erupting up to twenty times per day at heights of up to {{cvt|30|m}}.{{Cite web |last=Larsen|first=Michael|date=2021|title=Pōhutu Geyser: the largest geyser in the southern hemisphere |url= https://www.aa.co.nz/travel/must-dos/pohutu-geyser-the-largest-geyser-in-the-southern-hemisphere/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2 February 2021|website=www.aa.co.nz|language=en-nz}} The name Pōhutu is derived from te reo Māori, although it has an unclear etymology {{endash}} being translated as either 'big splash', 'explosion' or 'constant splashing'.{{Cite web|title=Pohutu – Māori Dictionary|url=https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=Pohutu|access-date=2 February 2021|website=maoridictionary.co.nz}}

The use of geothermal bores for heating by nearby Rotorua has impacted on the activity of Pōhutu Geyser and other nearby geothermal features. After a decline in geothermal activity at Whakarewarewa, a programme in the late 1980s saw bores within {{cvt|1.5|km}} of the geyser being shut, leading to a pronounced increase in activity.{{cite web|title=Chemistry of the Rotorua Geothermal Field Part 3: Hydrology|url=http://www.boprc.govt.nz/media/33403/Report-090115-GNSHydrologyPart3.pdf|access-date=14 October 2013}} This activity increase has concerned some scientists who have been involved with the field, who claim that the increased regularity of Pōhutu Geyser's eruptions may result in the system dying in the future.{{Cite news |last=Black |first=Eleanor |date=3 November 2000|title=Fears for future of busy geyser |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fears-for-future-of-busy-geyser/NL56OPCFAI2XIJDYU7J5G234XQ/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2 February 2021 |work=The New Zealand Herald|language=en-NZ}} Its crater is {{cvt|50|cm}} in diameter.{{Cite web|last=Ana|first=Romanelli|title=The Pohutu Geyser, Rotorua, New Zealand|url=https://www.bestourism.com/items/di/7806?title=The-Pohutu-Geyser-Rotorua-New-Zealand&b=337|access-date=1 June 2022|website=www.bestourism.com}}