Tasman Lake on South Island, New Zealand

Tasman Lake on South Island, New Zealand

Tasman Lake in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park on New Zealand’s South Island didn’t exist until 1990. As Tasman Glacier began to melt, small glacial pools began to coalesce into a substantial body of water. As the glacier retreats an average of 180 metres each year, Tasman Lake grows ever wider and deeper. It won’t keep growing forever, though. Scientists estimate that the glacier that feeds Tasman Lake will disappear entirely within the next couple of decades.