Community Contributed

Lake Koputara, Foxton

Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T16:47:08+00:00
Located north-west of Foxton, Lake Koputara is a Maori-owned lake.
GPS latitude40.4003
GPS longitude175.2628
LocationFoxton

The Department of Conservation:

'Lake Koputara, a small dune lake, is protected under a QEII National Trust Open Space Covenant.'

In the Resource Management Implementation, 1991–1998 report (Waitangi Tribunal, 4.4.1) is the following reference to the lake:

'Just north of Lake Horowhenua, Lake Koputara is an example of problems regarding access to a Maori-owned wetland/lake that is surrounded by private land. This small lake, located near Himatangi
beach, is owned by the Ngati Ruakawa Lake Trustees (title was issued in 1964). Since 1890, the lake has been surrounded by private land and the trustees have been unable to gain permanent legal access. A corresponding issue has been sand drift and general deterioration of the wetland/lake environment. In 1989, Ngati Raukawa lodged a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 113) regarding Lake Koputara. This claim alleges breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi regarding environmental degradation, loss of fisheries, and loss of access.'