Government announces $3 million to restore Lake Ōmāpere, Northland's largest lake

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced $3 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to restore Lake Ōmāpere, Northland's largest lake, near Kaikohe. The lake covers about 1200 hectares and is little more than two metres deep. Regular algal blooms (algae outbreaks) have affected it since the 1980s, killing aquatic life and making the water unusable for drinking, recreation or irrigation.