Kolleru Lake

Kolleru Lake
A bridge over Kolleru lake
A bridge over Kolleru
Location of Kolleru lake within Andhra Pradesh
Location of Kolleru lake within Andhra Pradesh
Kolleru Lake
LocationAndhra Pradesh
Coordinates16°39′N 81°13′E / 16.650°N 81.217°E / 16.650; 81.217
Primary inflowsRamileru, Tammileru, Budameru, Polaraj drain
Primary outflowsUpputeru
Basin countriesIndia
Surface area90,100 hectares (222,600 acres) [1] (245 sq km lake area)
Average depth1.0 metre (3 ft 3 in)
Max. depth2.0 metres (6 ft 7 in)
IslandsKolletikota(Heart of Kolleru Lake), Gudivakalanka
SettlementsEluru
Designated19 August 2002
Reference no.1209[2]

Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India and forms the largest shallow freshwater lake in Asia (with 245 km2 of lake area and 302 km2 of total Ramsar designated wetland).[3] 15 kilometers away from Eluru and 65 km from Rajamahendravaram, the lake is located between the Krishna and Godavari river deltas.[4] Kolleru Lake is located in the Eluru district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru rivulets, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari irrigation systems by over 67 major and minor irrigation canals.[5] This lake is a major tourist attraction. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as Siberian crane, ibis, and painted storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds, including the grey or spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis). The lake was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km2.[6]

Egrets, grey herons, painted storks and black-headed ibises gathering in thousands at Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Kolleru Lake under Ramsar Convention (allowing local communities (Here: Vaddi Community) to continue their occupation of culture fish and caught fish) covers 90,100 hectares (222,600 acres) and Kolleru Lake under Wildlife Sanctuary covers 166,000 acres (67,200 ha).[7]

  1. ^ Ramsar Convention Ramsar Convention of Kolleru Lake www.ramsar.org
  2. ^ "Kolleru Lake". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Kolleru Water Lake". Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Watershed map of east flowing rivers between Godavari and Krishna basins" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Worries grow as kolleru shrinks". Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Ramsar List" (PDF). Ramsar.org. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  7. ^ Ramsar Convention Ramsar Convention of Kolleru Lake www.rsis.ramsar.org