- Who
- Frying Pan Lake
- What
- 3.8 hectare(s)
- Where
- Neuseeland ()
Located in the Echo Crater of the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley in New Zealand is Frying Pan Lake (aka Waimangu Cauldron), a natural hot spring with an approximate surface area of 3.8 hectares (9.3 acres). The average temperature of the water in the lake is 50–60 degrees Celsius (122–140 degrees Fahrenheit).
Frying Pan Lake reaches around 200 m (656 ft) across as its widest point. A bathymetric survey conducted by the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute in the 1970s calculated the average depth to be approximately 6 m (19 ft 8 in), with a maximum depth of 20 m (65 ft 7 in).
Frying Pan Lake is located in a region of New Zealand well known for its geothermal activity. Nearby was the Waimangu Geyser, which in the early 20th century shot to heights of 460 m (1,500 ft), making it the tallest geyser ever, though it has been dormant since 1904.
Although the scalding, acidic water is not suitable for humans, the lake is home to a range of thermophilic (heat-loving) life-forms – mainly micro-organisms such as bacteria and algae.
Other notable examples of large hot springs are the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, and the Boiling Lake on the Caribbean island of Dominica.
