The level of Lake Benmore is being been lowered so local people can carry out repairs and maintenance around its edges, including on boat launching ramps.
Meridian Energy Ltd began lowering the lake on Tuesday, after requests, and it will stay down for about two weeks. However, heavy rain in the upper catchment, particularly the Ahuriri River, caused the lake to rise mid-week, but it had since started to fall.
Meridian representative Kelvin Jopson said it would reach its lowest point by November 5, at 360m above sea level, about 1.45m below its maximum operating level.
On the weekend of November 5 and 6, boat users would repair boat ramps and local landowners remove some fencing. Land Information New Zealand would use the opportunity to spray the exposed aquatic plant lagarosiphon growing in the lake.
"We will try to take the level down as close as we can to the 360m mark, to do what we can to accommodate the various groups and the work they want to carry out, Mr Jopson said.
The lake lowering activity did not breach Meridian's resource consent conditions, but would be noticeable as lower than the usual operating range. It would not affect generation capacity.
People visiting and using the lake during this time should be aware that the low water level may mean fishing by boat and access in some areas of the lake may be a little more difficult for this short period," he said.
Meridian last lowered the lake for similar activities in February 1999.
