[10] After survey pegs had been pulled up, when the Counties Act 1886 was invoked to build Opuatia Rd on Māori land,[11] the police, with armed support, arrested 10 men and 8 women in 1894, two of whom were sentenced to two months hard labour.

[14] Schools used to exist at Churchill,[15] just to the east of the lake, at Orton, 6 km (3.7 mi) to the north, and on Otuiti Rd at Opuatia.

[21] The lake has not been surveyed since 1993, when four species of submerged plants were identified,[22] including fennel leaved pondweed.

[25] The lake is in 950 ha (2,300 acres) of wetland, 180 ha (440 acres) of which is peat bog, and the remainder swamp and fen dominated by willow and manuka, with areas of rare restiad bog[25] The understorey has indigenous sedges, Nertera scapanioides, Microtis unifolia, and ferns (matua-rarauhe and kiokio), with raupo at the edges.

[25] Canada goose, fernbirds,[23] yellowhammer, chaffinch, riroriro, swallow, pheasant, pūkeko, mallard, harrier and shag have all been recorded in the area.

[29] Planting, fencing and goat control have been done in the 18,251 ha (45,100 acres) upper catchment to improve the water quality.

[22] The stream was navigable for about 8 km (5.0 mi)[30] to Glen Murray landing,[31] built about 1895,[32] where Opuatia had a post office in 1911.