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Lonar Lake
Lonar Lake (Plate 20.74 ) is situated near Lonar
town in the Buldhana District of Maharashtra. It
is the third largest natural saltwater lake in the
world. It has a maximum breath of 1,800 m. It is
the only crater lake in India formed by meteoritic
impact.
Historical Background
According to geologists, a massive meteor measuring 60 m in length and two million tonnes in
weight had entered the earth’s gravity about
50,000 years ago. It had, perhaps, hit the earth.
The energy released was very high. The impact
of collision had left a massive crater having a
diameter of 1,800 m and depth of 170 m. This
had, possibly, turned into the natural saltwater
Lonar Lake. Today, the lake is almost circular.
Further, the lake has become slight victim of siltation which had created small mud fl akes. The
crater has a depth of 150 m.
Geologically, the area belongs to Deccan
Basalt formation of the Cretaceous to early
Eocene period. The lake has the following
physico-chemical features of water: pH 6.5–11.2,
DO 0.02–0.09 mg/l, alkalinity 200–4,736 mg/l
and salinity 125–10,540 mg/l.
20.3.9.4 Ekruk Reservoir
It lies in Solapur District of Maharashtra and is
one of the oldest waterbodies constructed across
the River Aghila in 1871. The reservoir has a
catchment area of 411.81 km
2
, water spread area
of 1,842.51 ha, maximum length of 2,134 m and
a height of 21.45 m. It has a capacity to irrigate
2,610 ha of land. The region has an annual rainfall of 723.90 mm. It has the following physicochemical characteristics of water: temperature
16–30 °C, pH 7.2–8.4, DO 5.1–11.2 mg/l, free
CO 2 0–5.3 mg/l, total dissolved solids
58–108 mg/l, total hardness 59–104 mg/l and
total alkalinity 23–98 mg/l.
20.3.9.5 Talwade Reservoir in Nashik
District
It lies between 74° 20′ 9″ E and 20° 28′ N, near
village Ravalgaon at Talwade, Malegaon Taluka
in Nasik District of Maharashtra. The reservoir
has a maximum length, breadth and height of
1.418 km, 86 m and 13.85 m, respectively. Its
water storage capacity is 13.85 million cubic feet.
The reservoir has the following physico-chemical
characteristics of water: temperature 18–26 °C,
pH 6.5–9.09, DO 5.23–28.19 mg/l, free CO 2 0.0–
112.2 mg/l and TA 22.5–35.0 mg/l.
Plate 20.74 Lonar Lake
20 Wetlands of India
Lonar Lake
Lonar Lake (Plate 20.74 ) is situated near Lonar
town in the Buldhana District of Maharashtra. It
is the third largest natural saltwater lake in the
world. It has a maximum breath of 1,800 m. It is
the only crater lake in India formed by meteoritic
impact.
Historical Background
According to geologists, a massive meteor measuring 60 m in length and two million tonnes in
weight had entered the earth’s gravity about
50,000 years ago. It had, perhaps, hit the earth.
The energy released was very high. The impact
of collision had left a massive crater having a
diameter of 1,800 m and depth of 170 m. This
had, possibly, turned into the natural saltwater
Lonar Lake. Today, the lake is almost circular.
Further, the lake has become slight victim of siltation which had created small mud fl akes. The
crater has a depth of 150 m.
Geologically, the area belongs to Deccan
Basalt formation of the Cretaceous to early
Eocene period. The lake has the following
physico-chemical features of water: pH 6.5–11.2,
DO 0.02–0.09 mg/l, alkalinity 200–4,736 mg/l
and salinity 125–10,540 mg/l.
20.3.9.4 Ekruk Reservoir
It lies in Solapur District of Maharashtra and is
one of the oldest waterbodies constructed across
the River Aghila in 1871. The reservoir has a
catchment area of 411.81 km
2
, water spread area
of 1,842.51 ha, maximum length of 2,134 m and
a height of 21.45 m. It has a capacity to irrigate
2,610 ha of land. The region has an annual rainfall of 723.90 mm. It has the following physicochemical characteristics of water: temperature
16–30 °C, pH 7.2–8.4, DO 5.1–11.2 mg/l, free
CO 2 0–5.3 mg/l, total dissolved solids
58–108 mg/l, total hardness 59–104 mg/l and
total alkalinity 23–98 mg/l.
20.3.9.5 Talwade Reservoir in Nashik
District
It lies between 74° 20′ 9″ E and 20° 28′ N, near
village Ravalgaon at Talwade, Malegaon Taluka
in Nasik District of Maharashtra. The reservoir
has a maximum length, breadth and height of
1.418 km, 86 m and 13.85 m, respectively. Its
water storage capacity is 13.85 million cubic feet.
The reservoir has the following physico-chemical
characteristics of water: temperature 18–26 °C,
pH 6.5–9.09, DO 5.23–28.19 mg/l, free CO 2 0.0–
112.2 mg/l and TA 22.5–35.0 mg/l.
Plate 20.74 Lonar Lake
20 Wetlands of India