In the early 1970s, there were several small meltwater ponds on the Tasman Glacier. By 1990, these ponds had merged into Tasman Lake.[6]
Tour boat among the icebergs on Tasman Lake
Tasman Lake has quickened the retreat of the Tasman Glacier. Initially it did so by undercutting the cliff at the end of the glacier, causing parts of the cliff to fall into the lake. Since 2006, however, a 50–60m (160–200ft) apron of submerged glacial ice projects out from the cliff, and icebergs periodically break off the apron and float away down the lake. Because more of the glacier is now in contact with the water, its rate of retreat has increased. By 2008 the lake was about 7km (4mi) long, 2km (1mi) wide and 245m (800ft) deep, having almost doubled in area since 2000.[7] It is expected to grow to a maximum length of about 16km (9.9mi) within the next one or two decades.[8]
Tasman Lake, the glacier and the surrounding mountains are part of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. Taking a boat tour among the icebergs on the Tasman Lake is now a popular tourist activity.[9] For safety reasons the small inflatable boats are not allowed closer than 1.5km (0.9mi) to the 50m (160ft) tall terminal face of Tasman Glacier.[10] Tasman Lake can be reached by road from the nearby Mount Cook Village and a short walk from the car park at the end of the road.
Like many other geographic places in both New Zealand and Australia, it is named after Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman.
Tasman Lake viewed from near its outlet (right), in spring 2010
Charles R. Warren & Martin P. Kirkbride (1998). Temperature and bathymetry of ice-contact lakes in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand - New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. Vol.41. Royal Society of New Zealand. pp.133–143.
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