| Lake Te Wapu | |
|---|---|
  Lake Te Wapu | |
| Location | Chatham Island, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°44′29″S 176°15′43″W / 43.74139°S 176.26194°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Primary inflows | Unnamed stream |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Surface area | 28 hectares (69 acres) |
| Average depth | 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) |
Lake Te Wapu (Māori pronunciation: [tɛ ˈwapʉ]) is a shallow coastal dune lake in northeastern Chatham Island, New Zealand, adjacent to the Pacific coast and the village of Kaingaroa. Scrub and ranching land surround much of the lake. Leachate from a nearby rubbish dump has significantly raised the lake's nitrogen levels, leading to harmful algal blooms and poor water quality classified as supertrophic. The lake's proximity to the ocean allows significant amounts of seawater to intermittently flow into the lake, leading to brackish conditions. Large populations of inanga reside in the lake, alongside eels and New Zealand smelt. Several species of emergent plants grow along its shores.