Lakes in India: List of Important Lakes in India, Largest Lake in India

Lakes in India

Lake is a surface water body that is surrounded by land. Rivers will be outlets or inlets to the lakes, i.e., lakes take the water from rivers or act as a water source. Lakes are found in landscapes like Hilly areas, plains, plateaus, rift zones, etc. There are many lakes, of which 62 are important lakes in India, i.e., lakes in almost all the states and Union territories.

Type of Lakes in India

India is a land with many water bodies, including lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. Lakes are significant sources that add to the land's natural beauty. The lakes are formed from the water that comes from rain, streams, snow, melting ice, and groundwater seepage. Based on the source of water, the types of lakes in India are as follows:

Lakes in India PDF

• Freshwater Lakes - They are unsalted water that is usually found in low-lying areas. These are fed from rivers, streams, and runoff from the surrounding area. The largest freshwater lake in India is Wular Lake.
• Saltwater Lakes - As the name suggests, the saltwater lake contains a concentration of salts and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (at least 3 grams per litre of water).
• Artificial Lakes - It is a man-made lake that is used to store water for public use.
• Oxbow Lakes - It is formed when a wide meander of a river is cut off. A lake is then formed when the river finds a different shorter course.
• Crater Lakes - It is created from the collapse or explosive activity of volcanic eruptions.

List of the Important Lakes in India [State-Wise]

Here is a table of the important lakes in India with their location.

List of Important Lakes in Indian Union Territories

The given list provides you with a list of famous lakes in Indian Union Territories:

Famous Lakes in India

A few of these important lakes of India are explained below:

• Kolleru Lake - It is located in one of the largest freshwater lakes located between Godavari and Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh. It is home to many migratory birds, with Atapaka Bird Sanctuary at its belt.
• Sambhar Lake - It is the largest inland salt lake in India in Rajasthan. This lake has mythological meaning. As per Mahabharat, this lake was part of king Brishparva's kingdom.
• Wular Lake - The Wular lake is situated in Jammu Kashmir, covering an area of 10km in breadth and 24km in length. It is the largest freshwater lake in India and stands second on the list of Asia's largest freshwater lakes.
• Pulicat Lake - It is situated in Andhra Pradesh. Along with the lake, Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, with birds like kingfishers, flamingos, sight storks, etc., is a source of tourism.
• Pushkar Lake - It is another Hindu sacred lake in Rajasthan. It is described as the Tritha-Guru in Hindu scripts.
• Sasthamcotta Lake - It is Kerala's largest freshwater lake that is surrounded by hills on three sides. Along with the lake, the ancient Sastha temple is the center of attraction for tourists.
• Vembanad Lake - The Aranmula temple, the Vaikom, and Thyckkal beaches along the side of the Vembanad of Kerala have importance in terms of tourism. The park along it accounts for attracting people to the beauty.

Largest Lake in India

The largest lake in India is the Vembanad Lake. It is the largest lake in India, situated in the district of Kerela, with an area of 2033 sq. km. The top 10 largest lakes in India, along with the states, are as follows:

Uses of Lakes in India

India has about 4% of the global freshwater, but unfortunately, the country is facing the worst water crisis ever. In such a scenario, the lakes hold a great deal of importance to India. Here are some of the importance that the lakes in India provide to us:

• Drinking water
• Irrigation
• Navigation
• Water storage
• Livelihood (fishing, etc.)
• Home to aquatic animals
• Impact on microclimate, etc.

Lakes in India UPSC Facts

Lakes in India UPSC is an important segment of the IAS Exam. Here are some of the commonly asked questions about Lakes in India. Read the essential facts about the famous lakes in India.

Lakes in India UPSC Questions

A few questions have been asked in the UPSC Prelims and Mains exam from Lakes of India UPSC topic. Some of the questions asked are as follows-

Question - Which of the following is valid about lakes in India?

1. Most of the lakes in the world are freshwater lakes.
2. In regions of low precipitation and intense evaporation, lakes are saline.

Select the correct answer from the following codes

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer - C

Question - Consider the following statement with respect to Wular Lake.

1. It is located in Kashmir
2. It was created by Tectonic activity
3. It is fed by the river Jhelum

Select the correct option:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer - D

Question - What are the famous lakes in India, and how are they important? Explain any five of them. [UPSC Mains]