70
classifi ed into three types, namely, (a) those
situated at the altitudinal zone of 1,585–1,600 m,
MSL, generally called ‘valley lakes’ or ‘fl oodplain lakes’ or 3rd series lakes, e.g . Dal, Wular,
Anchar and Manasbal; (b) those situated at the
altitudinal zone of 1,650–3,800 m MSL (rarely
4,000 m MSL), generally called 2nd series lakes
or middle altitude lakes, e.g . Neelnag; and (c)
those (mostly glacial) lakes, situated in the inner
Himalayas, at the altitudinal zone of 3,000–5,297 m
MSL, generally called 1st series lakes, e.g .
Alipathar, Kounsarnag, Tar Sar, Mar Sar,
Vishansar, Gangbal, Kishna Sar, Kyo Tso and
Pangong Tso.
The large fl oodplain lakes are generally shallow. Their average and maximum depths usually
range from 0.6 to 3.0 m and from 5.8 to 13 m,
respectively. Large lakes (the largest 15,300 ha)
are located at middle altitude. Winter rain is
mainly in the form of snow. Lake Wular does
not thermally stratify mainly because of its shallowness unlike Lake Manasbal which experiences an oxygen defi cit in the bottom layer of
water ( Wanganeo 1984).
The retreat of glaciers resulted in the formation of many lakes in J & K. This could also be
true of HA lakes of Uttarakhand (UKh) and
Sikkim . Further, landslides and tectonic movements caused the formation of other lakes. HA
Lakes are present in the Great Himalayas and
Trans-Himalayas. Jana (1998) listed 13 lakes
situated from 3,400 to 5,297 m, some of them
being brackish or saline. There are both commercial and subsistence fi sheries in these
waterbodies, based on exotic and indigenous
fi sh species.
In general, water pH varies from 7.4 to 9.6.
The high pH values in summer could be the result
of intense photosynthetic activity by the rich
phytoplankton. The vertical gradient of DO
concentration differs from lake to lake. In Lake
Wular, which is mixed throughout the year,
oxygen concentration does not seem to vary
much from the surface to the bottom. Lake
Manasbal and the Nagin basin of Lake Dal have
a clinograde type of oxygen profi le, i.e. the DO
concentration decreases with depth. The bottom
water of the two lakes suffers from oxygen
depletion during summer, which indicates that
the lakes are eutrophic. This is, further, confi rmed
by high annual input of PO 4 (4.36 t) and NO 3
(39.2 t) into Dal Lake from human settlements,
hotels, etc., around it (Zutshi 1989). As such, the
fl oodplain lakes in the Kashmir Valley are rapidly
ageing, with their water spread area gradually
reducing by encroachment, agricultural activities, weed infestation, etc.
Some of the AM in the lentic bodies of J&K
are Ceratophyllum , Myriophyllum , Potamogeton
and Hydrilla , Salvinia natans , etc. Further, these
AM serve as spawning grounds for common carp
from May to June. However, eutrophication has
contributed to the rapid increase in Salvinia
natans (Jana 1998). In the late 1980s, mechanical
harvesters were employed to eradicate the weeds.
6.1.9.4 HA Lakes of Uttarakhand
Amazingly nice nature’s bounties are tucked
securely in the hills of Uttarakhand. The sheer
beauty of these enchanting lakes casts a magic
spell on all onlookers, enabling them to forget the
arduous trek one has to undertake to reach them.
The calm and serene lakes amidst lofty peaks
of the mighty Himalayas and virgin forests are a
breathtaking sight to behold and are ample
rewards for nature and adventure lovers alike.
It could be quite pertinent here to quote the
feelings of Swami Vivekananda on the Himalayas:
‘As peak after peak of this Father of Mountains
began to appear before my sight, all those propensities to work, that ferment that had been
going on in my brain for years, seemed to quiet
down and the mind reverted to that one eternal
theme which the Himalayas always teach us, that
one theme which is reverberating in the very
atmosphere of the place, the one theme murmur
of which I hear even now in the rushing whirlpools of its rivers — “Renunciation”. It is the
hope of my life to end my days somewhere within
this Father of Mountains, where Rishis lived—
where Philosophy was born’.
Uttarakhand (UKh) is a Himalayan province
located in northern India with many high altitude
(HA) lakes, waterfalls, kund, etc. Locally, a lake
is called a ‘Tal’ while a small pond is generally
called a ‘Kund’.
6 Lakes of the World
classifi ed into three types, namely, (a) those
situated at the altitudinal zone of 1,585–1,600 m,
MSL, generally called ‘valley lakes’ or ‘fl oodplain lakes’ or 3rd series lakes, e.g . Dal, Wular,
Anchar and Manasbal; (b) those situated at the
altitudinal zone of 1,650–3,800 m MSL (rarely
4,000 m MSL), generally called 2nd series lakes
or middle altitude lakes, e.g . Neelnag; and (c)
those (mostly glacial) lakes, situated in the inner
Himalayas, at the altitudinal zone of 3,000–5,297 m
MSL, generally called 1st series lakes, e.g .
Alipathar, Kounsarnag, Tar Sar, Mar Sar,
Vishansar, Gangbal, Kishna Sar, Kyo Tso and
Pangong Tso.
The large fl oodplain lakes are generally shallow. Their average and maximum depths usually
range from 0.6 to 3.0 m and from 5.8 to 13 m,
respectively. Large lakes (the largest 15,300 ha)
are located at middle altitude. Winter rain is
mainly in the form of snow. Lake Wular does
not thermally stratify mainly because of its shallowness unlike Lake Manasbal which experiences an oxygen defi cit in the bottom layer of
water ( Wanganeo 1984).
The retreat of glaciers resulted in the formation of many lakes in J & K. This could also be
true of HA lakes of Uttarakhand (UKh) and
Sikkim . Further, landslides and tectonic movements caused the formation of other lakes. HA
Lakes are present in the Great Himalayas and
Trans-Himalayas. Jana (1998) listed 13 lakes
situated from 3,400 to 5,297 m, some of them
being brackish or saline. There are both commercial and subsistence fi sheries in these
waterbodies, based on exotic and indigenous
fi sh species.
In general, water pH varies from 7.4 to 9.6.
The high pH values in summer could be the result
of intense photosynthetic activity by the rich
phytoplankton. The vertical gradient of DO
concentration differs from lake to lake. In Lake
Wular, which is mixed throughout the year,
oxygen concentration does not seem to vary
much from the surface to the bottom. Lake
Manasbal and the Nagin basin of Lake Dal have
a clinograde type of oxygen profi le, i.e. the DO
concentration decreases with depth. The bottom
water of the two lakes suffers from oxygen
depletion during summer, which indicates that
the lakes are eutrophic. This is, further, confi rmed
by high annual input of PO 4 (4.36 t) and NO 3
(39.2 t) into Dal Lake from human settlements,
hotels, etc., around it (Zutshi 1989). As such, the
fl oodplain lakes in the Kashmir Valley are rapidly
ageing, with their water spread area gradually
reducing by encroachment, agricultural activities, weed infestation, etc.
Some of the AM in the lentic bodies of J&K
are Ceratophyllum , Myriophyllum , Potamogeton
and Hydrilla , Salvinia natans , etc. Further, these
AM serve as spawning grounds for common carp
from May to June. However, eutrophication has
contributed to the rapid increase in Salvinia
natans (Jana 1998). In the late 1980s, mechanical
harvesters were employed to eradicate the weeds.
6.1.9.4 HA Lakes of Uttarakhand
Amazingly nice nature’s bounties are tucked
securely in the hills of Uttarakhand. The sheer
beauty of these enchanting lakes casts a magic
spell on all onlookers, enabling them to forget the
arduous trek one has to undertake to reach them.
The calm and serene lakes amidst lofty peaks
of the mighty Himalayas and virgin forests are a
breathtaking sight to behold and are ample
rewards for nature and adventure lovers alike.
It could be quite pertinent here to quote the
feelings of Swami Vivekananda on the Himalayas:
‘As peak after peak of this Father of Mountains
began to appear before my sight, all those propensities to work, that ferment that had been
going on in my brain for years, seemed to quiet
down and the mind reverted to that one eternal
theme which the Himalayas always teach us, that
one theme which is reverberating in the very
atmosphere of the place, the one theme murmur
of which I hear even now in the rushing whirlpools of its rivers — “Renunciation”. It is the
hope of my life to end my days somewhere within
this Father of Mountains, where Rishis lived—
where Philosophy was born’.
Uttarakhand (UKh) is a Himalayan province
located in northern India with many high altitude
(HA) lakes, waterfalls, kund, etc. Locally, a lake
is called a ‘Tal’ while a small pond is generally
called a ‘Kund’.
6 Lakes of the World