Master10
Rivers, Lakes, Dams & Water Resources Module

Lakes, Wetlands & Waterfalls

Inland water bodies, including freshwater tectonic lakes, coastal brackish lagoons, meteoritic crater formations, and high-altitude waterfalls, constitute vital ecological and hydrological assets across India. Notable lacustrine systems include Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir (one of Asia's largest freshwater lakes), Chilika Lake in Odisha (Asia's largest brackish water lagoon), Loktak Lake in Manipur (featuring floating phumdis and Keibul Lamjao National Park), and Lonar Lake in Maharashtra (a meteorite impact crater). Major waterfalls such as Kunchikal Falls on the Varahi River, Jog Falls on the Sharavathi, and Dudhsagar Falls on the Mandovi highlight India's striking relief and drainage topography.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest coastal lagoon in India and Asia's largest brackish water lake, designated as India's first Ramsar wetland in 1981.
  • Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, fed by the Jhelum River, is one of the largest freshwater tectonic lakes in South Asia.
  • Loktak Lake in Manipur is famous for its floating masses of vegetation called 'phumdis' and houses the world's only floating national park, Keibul Lamjao.
  • Lonar Lake in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra is a hypersaline and alkaline lake created by a meteorite impact during the Pleistocene Epoch.
  • Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan is India's largest inland saline lake and a major source of salt production in the country.
  • Pulicat Lake, straddling Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, is the second-largest brackish water lagoon in India, separated from the Bay of Bengal by the barrier island of Sriharikota.
  • Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India, hosting the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada during Onam.
  • Dal Lake in Srinagar, known as the 'Jewel in the crown of Kashmir', is famous for its houseboats, floating gardens (radh), and Mughal gardens along its shorelines.
  • Kunchikal Falls in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, formed by the Varahi River, is considered India's highest tiered waterfall with a total cascading height of 455 meters.
  • Jog Falls (Gersoppa Falls) on the Sharavathi River in Karnataka is one of India's highest untiered plunge waterfalls, consisting of four distinct cascades named Raja, Rani, Rover, and Rocket.
  • Nohkalikai Falls near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is India's tallest plunge waterfall, dropping 340 meters from an evergreen plateau.
  • Dudhsagar Falls ('Sea of Milk') is a four-tiered waterfall on the Mandovi River located along the border of Goa and Karnataka.
  • Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India (approx. 96 km) and the largest in Kerala, hosting the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada.
  • Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir is one of the largest freshwater lakes in South Asia, formed by tectonic activity and fed by the Jhelum River.
  • Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia and the second largest coastal lagoon in the world, home to the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin.
  • Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan is India's largest inland saline lake, situated in an endorheic basin of the Aravalli hills.
  • Lonar Lake in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra is a famous soda lake formed by a meteorite impact in basaltic rock during the Pleistocene Epoch.
  • Pulicat Lake, straddling the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, separated from the Bay of Bengal by Sriharikota barrier island.
  • Loktak Lake in Manipur is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, famous for floating heterogeneous masses of vegetation and soil called phumdis.
  • Nohkalikai Falls near Sohra (Cherrapunji) in Meghalaya is the highest plunge waterfall in India, dropping uninterrupted for 340 meters.
  • Kunchikal Falls in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, formed by the Varahi River, is officially recognized as India's highest tiered waterfall with a total cascade of 455 meters.
  • Jog Falls (Gerosoppa Falls) on the Sharavathi River in Karnataka consists of four distinct cascades named Raja, Rani, Roarer, and Rocket.
  • Dudhsagar Falls ('Sea of Milk') is a four-tiered waterfall on the Mandovi River located on the Goa-Karnataka border in Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary.
  • Hogenakkal Falls on the Cauvery River in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, is often referred to as the 'Niagara of India' due to its dramatic force and carbonatite rock gorges.
  • Shivanasamudra Falls on the Cauvery River in Karnataka divides into two cascades, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki, hosting Asia's first major hydroelectric power station (1902).
  • Wular Lake in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir is the largest natural freshwater lake in India, formed by tectonic activity and fed by the Jhelum River.
  • Dal Lake in Srinagar is renowned as the 'Jewel in the crown of Kashmir', celebrated for its houseboats, shikaras, and floating vegetable markets.
  • Dal Lake features four main basins: Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, and Nagin Lake, connected by a network of canals.
  • Pangong Tso in Ladakh is an endorheic lake situated at an altitude of 4,225 meters, extending from eastern Ladakh to the Tibetan plateau.
  • Pangong Tso is the world's highest saltwater lake, spanning 134 km in length with roughly two-thirds lying in Chinese territory.
  • Tso Moriri (Mountain Lake) in the Changthang plateau of Ladakh is a pristine high-altitude oligotrophic brackish water lake at 4,522 meters elevation.
  • Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest brackish water lagoon in India and the second-largest coastal lagoon in the world, spanning over 1,100 square kilometers.
  • Chilika Lake was the first Indian wetland of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention in 1981.
  • Chilika Lake hosts the largest wintering population of migratory waterfowl in the Indian subcontinent and is home to endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.
  • Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India (96.5 km) and the largest lake in Kerala, spanning Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts.
  • The famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Vallam Kali) is held annually on Punnamada Lake, a part of Vembanad Lake, on the second Saturday of August.
  • The Thanneermukkom Bund was constructed across Vembanad Lake to prevent saltwater intrusion into the fertile Kuttanad paddy fields.
  • Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in India, situated between the deltas of the Godavari and Krishna rivers.
  • Pulicat Lake, straddling the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, is the second-largest brackish water lagoon in India after Chilika.
  • Pulicat Lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by the barrier island of Sriharikota, which hosts the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR).
  • Loktak Lake in Manipur is the largest natural freshwater lake in Northeast India, famous for floating biomass masses called 'Phumdis'.
  • Keibul Lamjao National Park on Loktak Lake is the only floating national park in the world and the exclusive natural habitat of the endangered Sangai deer.
  • Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan is India's largest inland saline lake, accounting for a significant fraction of Rajasthan's salt production.
  • Lonar Lake in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra is a unique, closed basaltic impact crater lake formed by a meteorite strike during the Pleistocene Epoch.
  • Lonar Lake water is both hyper-saline and hyper-alkaline (pH above 10), supporting specialized haloalkaliphilic extremophile bacteria.
  • Nainital Lake in Uttarakhand is a kidney-shaped natural freshwater body of tectonic origin situated in the Kumaon Hills.
  • Bhimtal, Sattal, Naukuchiatal, and Khurpatal are other prominent natural freshwater lakes located in the Kumaon Lake District of Uttarakhand.
  • Roopkund Lake in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand is a high-altitude glacial lake at 5,029 meters, popularly called the 'Mystery Lake' or 'Skeleton Lake'.
  • Changu Lake (Tsomgo Lake) in East Sikkim is a glacial lake situated at 3,753 meters on the road to the Nathu La pass.
  • Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim is one of the highest lakes in the world at an altitude of 5,430 meters, sacred to both Buddhists and Sikhs.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ramsar Convention Secretariat, and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.MEDIUM

Which is the largest natural freshwater lake in India, fed primarily by the Jhelum River?

Q2.EASY

Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water coastal lagoon in India and Asia, is situated in which state?

Q3.EASY

Which is the longest lake in India, spanning over 96 km across multiple districts in Kerala?

Q4.EASY

Sambhar Salt Lake, the largest inland saline lake in India, is located in which state?

Q5.EASY

The Dhuandhar Falls and the famous Marble Rocks gorge are formed by which river near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh?

Q6.EASY

Dudhsagar Falls ('Sea of Milk'), a spectacular four-tiered waterfall on the Mandovi River, is situated on the border of Goa and which state?

Q7.EASY

Pulicat Lake, India's second largest brackish water lagoon, is situated on the border between Tamil Nadu and which other state?

Q8.EASY

Dal Lake, famous for its houseboats ('shikaras') and floating gardens ('radh'), is located in which city?