description Rotokawa Mudpots Overview
Rotokawa Mudpots are geothermal surface features within the Rotokawa Geothermal System near Taupo, New Zealand. The system includes an acidic geothermal lake, sulphur deposits, sinter deposits, mud pools, steaming ground, and hot springs; Lake Rotokawa has water measured at about pH 2.2 and supports a distinctive acid-tolerant leech. The same field supplies geothermal electricity through the Rotokawa power station, an Ormat combined-cycle plant commissioned in 1997 and expanded in 2003.
help Rotokawa Mudpots FAQ
Where are the Rotokawa Mudpots located?
They are geothermal surface features within the Rotokawa Geothermal System near Taupo on New Zealand's North Island. The area lies within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, one of the world's most active geothermal regions.
What geothermal features are found in the Rotokawa system?
The system includes an acidic geothermal lake, sulphur deposits, sinter deposits, mud pools, steaming ground, and hot springs. The mudpots themselves form where gas and acidic fluids break rock down into boiling mud.
How hot and acidic is Lake Rotokawa?
Lake Rotokawa is both hot and strongly acidic, with water temperatures measured at elevated levels well above normal lake conditions. The extreme chemistry is what produces the surrounding sulphur and sinter deposits.
Is geothermal power generated at Rotokawa?
Yes, the Rotokawa field hosts geothermal power stations, including the Rotokawa and Nga Awa Purua plants operated by Mercury Energy in partnership with local Maori trusts. The same heat that drives the mudpots supplies the generating field.
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