117
silt, and by plankton in summer months) ranges
from 0.5 to 12 m. Maximum and average summer
surface water temperatures are generally 15 and
13 °C, respectively. Most lakes develop summer
stratifi cation, with a temperature difference of
8–9 °C between epilimnion and hypolimnion.
Water quality generally shows pH 6.7–7.4, conductivity 15–130 μmhos, high DO and low N and P.
Thus, most of these lakes seem to be oligotrophic. Phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms,
followed by green algae. However, the lakes
Konsernag and Kishansar are rich in BGA (Vass
et al., 1989). Zooplankton is usually dominated
by copepods.
Salient features of some of the HA glacial
lakes in J&K are briefl y given below:
(a) Gangabal: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,570 m MSL. It has a surface area of
157 ha and a maximum depth of 84 m. It
shows water transparency 2.25 m, surface
temperature 12.5 °C, pH 6.9–7.0, DO 8.0–
9.6 mg l
−1 , TA 7.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
15 μmhos cm
−1 .
(b) Konsernag: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,670 m MSL. It has a surface of 140 ha and
a maximum depth of 80 m. It shows water
transparency 2.25 m, surface temperature
9.5 °C, pH 6.8–7.1, DO 8.5–10.2 mg l
−1 , TA
12 mg l
−1 and conductivity 18.0 μmhos cm
−1 .
(c) Vishansar: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,817 m MSL. Its surface area and maximum
depth are 10 ha and 10 m, respectively. It
shows water transparency 6.0 m, surface
temperature 9.0 °C, pH 6.8, DO 9.5–
12.5 mg l
−1 , TA 24.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
82 μmhos cm
−1
.
(d) Kishansar: It is an oligotrophic lake lying
at 3,677 m MSL. It has a surface area of
10 ha and a maximum depth of 10 m. It
depicts water transparency 6.0 m, surface
temperature 9.0 °C, pH 6.8, DO 9.5–
12.5 mg l
−1 , TA 24.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
82.0 μmhos cm
−1 .
(e) Alpather: It is also an oligotrophic lake
which lies at 3,200 m MSL. Its surface area
and maximum depth are 8 ha and 6.5 m,
respectively. It portrays water transparency
1.75 m, surface temperature 13 °C, pH 6.4–
7.0, DO 6.2–7.8 mg l
−1 , TA 22.0 mg l
−1 and
conductivity 30 μmhos cm
−1 .
(f) Nundkul: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,550 m MSL. Its surface area and maximum
depth are 10 ha and 8 m, respectively. It
shows water transparency 1.75 m, surface
temperature 12 °C, pH 6.5–7.0, DO 9.4–
12.6 mg l
−1 , TA 11.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
25 μmhos cm
−1
.
(g) Tarsar: It is also an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,713 m MSL. It has a surface area of 5 ha,
water transparency 9.0 m, surface temperature
11.5 °C, pH 7.2, TA 15.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity 35 μmhos cm
−1 .
(h) Sheshnag: It is an oligotrophic lake which
lies at 3,570 m MSL. Its surface area and
maximum depth are 51 ha and 13 m, respectively, Transparency 0.5 m, surface temperature 11 °C, pH 7.2, DO 4.8–7.6 mg l
−1 , TA
47 mg l
−1 and conductivity 20 μmhos cm
−1
.
J&K Forest Alpine Lakes
Neelnag : Neelnag lake is a mesotrophic lake
situated at 2,180 m MSL. Not much information
is available about this lake.
A little detailed description of an HA lentic
body J&K is given below.
Wetlands of J&K
In J&K, the wetlands, called sars , cover >4,000 ha
and serve as a natural refuge for a wide variety of
organisms. The wetlands are situated on fl oodplains of the River Jhelum. Some wetlands, such
as Haigam and Hokarsar, are maintained by the
State Government as bird sanctuaries. Migratory
waterfowls, wild duck and geese migrate here
from China, Russia and other distant regions during winter. Wetlands are also important habitats
for fi sh, notably, the Cyprinus carpio ,
Schizothorax niger , Crossocheilus latius , Puntius
conchonius and Gambusia affi nis . The fi sh yield
in wetlands varies from 15 to 30 kg ha
−1 year
−1
. In
wetland, minnows are caught with scoop nets in
large numbers during summer months. The fi sh is
sun-dried or smoked and it fetches a high price.
The wetlands (which are also commonly called
lakes) generally portray an average annual fi sh
yield of 18.75 kg ha
−1 .
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies
silt, and by plankton in summer months) ranges
from 0.5 to 12 m. Maximum and average summer
surface water temperatures are generally 15 and
13 °C, respectively. Most lakes develop summer
stratifi cation, with a temperature difference of
8–9 °C between epilimnion and hypolimnion.
Water quality generally shows pH 6.7–7.4, conductivity 15–130 μmhos, high DO and low N and P.
Thus, most of these lakes seem to be oligotrophic. Phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms,
followed by green algae. However, the lakes
Konsernag and Kishansar are rich in BGA (Vass
et al., 1989). Zooplankton is usually dominated
by copepods.
Salient features of some of the HA glacial
lakes in J&K are briefl y given below:
(a) Gangabal: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,570 m MSL. It has a surface area of
157 ha and a maximum depth of 84 m. It
shows water transparency 2.25 m, surface
temperature 12.5 °C, pH 6.9–7.0, DO 8.0–
9.6 mg l
−1 , TA 7.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
15 μmhos cm
−1 .
(b) Konsernag: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,670 m MSL. It has a surface of 140 ha and
a maximum depth of 80 m. It shows water
transparency 2.25 m, surface temperature
9.5 °C, pH 6.8–7.1, DO 8.5–10.2 mg l
−1 , TA
12 mg l
−1 and conductivity 18.0 μmhos cm
−1 .
(c) Vishansar: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,817 m MSL. Its surface area and maximum
depth are 10 ha and 10 m, respectively. It
shows water transparency 6.0 m, surface
temperature 9.0 °C, pH 6.8, DO 9.5–
12.5 mg l
−1 , TA 24.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
82 μmhos cm
−1
.
(d) Kishansar: It is an oligotrophic lake lying
at 3,677 m MSL. It has a surface area of
10 ha and a maximum depth of 10 m. It
depicts water transparency 6.0 m, surface
temperature 9.0 °C, pH 6.8, DO 9.5–
12.5 mg l
−1 , TA 24.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
82.0 μmhos cm
−1 .
(e) Alpather: It is also an oligotrophic lake
which lies at 3,200 m MSL. Its surface area
and maximum depth are 8 ha and 6.5 m,
respectively. It portrays water transparency
1.75 m, surface temperature 13 °C, pH 6.4–
7.0, DO 6.2–7.8 mg l
−1 , TA 22.0 mg l
−1 and
conductivity 30 μmhos cm
−1 .
(f) Nundkul: It is an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,550 m MSL. Its surface area and maximum
depth are 10 ha and 8 m, respectively. It
shows water transparency 1.75 m, surface
temperature 12 °C, pH 6.5–7.0, DO 9.4–
12.6 mg l
−1 , TA 11.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity
25 μmhos cm
−1
.
(g) Tarsar: It is also an oligotrophic lake lying at
3,713 m MSL. It has a surface area of 5 ha,
water transparency 9.0 m, surface temperature
11.5 °C, pH 7.2, TA 15.0 mg l
−1 and conductivity 35 μmhos cm
−1 .
(h) Sheshnag: It is an oligotrophic lake which
lies at 3,570 m MSL. Its surface area and
maximum depth are 51 ha and 13 m, respectively, Transparency 0.5 m, surface temperature 11 °C, pH 7.2, DO 4.8–7.6 mg l
−1 , TA
47 mg l
−1 and conductivity 20 μmhos cm
−1
.
J&K Forest Alpine Lakes
Neelnag : Neelnag lake is a mesotrophic lake
situated at 2,180 m MSL. Not much information
is available about this lake.
A little detailed description of an HA lentic
body J&K is given below.
Wetlands of J&K
In J&K, the wetlands, called sars , cover >4,000 ha
and serve as a natural refuge for a wide variety of
organisms. The wetlands are situated on fl oodplains of the River Jhelum. Some wetlands, such
as Haigam and Hokarsar, are maintained by the
State Government as bird sanctuaries. Migratory
waterfowls, wild duck and geese migrate here
from China, Russia and other distant regions during winter. Wetlands are also important habitats
for fi sh, notably, the Cyprinus carpio ,
Schizothorax niger , Crossocheilus latius , Puntius
conchonius and Gambusia affi nis . The fi sh yield
in wetlands varies from 15 to 30 kg ha
−1 year
−1
. In
wetland, minnows are caught with scoop nets in
large numbers during summer months. The fi sh is
sun-dried or smoked and it fetches a high price.
The wetlands (which are also commonly called
lakes) generally portray an average annual fi sh
yield of 18.75 kg ha
−1 .
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies