The Geysers of Rotorua
Uncover the roiling energy hidden beneath Rotorua’s hotspots. These boiling geysers and bubbling mud pools hold more in store for this town than being a roadside attraction.
Steaming geysers and boiling mud pools puncture the Earth’s surface of Rotorua, New Zealand. This small city in the North Island of Aotearoa is home to a horde of pulsing geothermal energy that lies just beneath the surface. The spectacular essence of these natural hotspots has put it on the map as a destination for ecological tourism. Visitors don’t even need to follow a certain trail or specific hike to see these dazzling wonders. Simply drive through the middle of town and you’re sure to encounter at least two or more bubbling geysers, which in the winter give off huge clouds of steam that can be seen for miles.
These puffy white clouds are more than just a natural magic trick meant to dazzle humankind. It is also a reminder of the great store of energy hiding just beneath the surface of Rotorua. With 17% of New Zealand’s power being sourced from geothermal, and ten different geothermal areas identified within Rotorua’s borders, this area is an energetic jackpot. Tourism of these natural resources began in the 1800’s and swelled during the 1930’s and 40’s. Due to rapid population growth and unregulated use, this force was abused in the 1970’s and 80’s (Brad Scott, 2019). Eventually it led to legislative overhauls in recent decades that hope to quell the extent of abuse that has deformed Rotorua’s unique landscape. However, Māori has demonstrated that it can be used sustainably as they have been respectfully partaking in the geysers power since they first arrived in the Bay of Plenty (Brad Scott, 2019).
Today a balance between tourism and ecological preservation has been erected. Almost four hundred homes in Rotorua are heated via geothermal energy along with a variety of other commercial properties including the Rotorua hospital (Brad Scott, 2019). At the same time. All business that supply geothermal services must participate in a putback system where they return all water taken out of the ground and only in a limited quantity each year (Brad Scott, 2019). Ongoing protection and allocation of these resources is absolutely needed in order to maintain the geothermal energy stored here. What the future holds will be entirely determined by the Rotorua Geothermal System Management Plan, a report assembled by a GNS team of multi-disciplinary specialists, who have compiled decades of geothermal research and continue to monitor climate data from the region (Brad Scott, 2019). Witnessing these amazing geysers and hot springs is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So it is my deepest hope that the people and businesses of Rotorua continue to make decisions that will protect these natural wonders.
References;
Brad Scott. The Science Story Environmental Summary Report; Rotorua Geothermal System. GNS Science: New Zealand, 2019.