| Pulicat Lake | |
|---|---|
 Palm trees lining the barrier islands | |
  Pulicat Lake | |
| Location | Coromandel Coast, Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu border |
| Coordinates | 13°33′57″N 80°10′29″E / 13.56583°N 80.17472°E |
| Type | brackish to salty |
| Primary inflows | Arani River, Kalangi River and Swarnamukhi River |
| Primary outflows | Bay of Bengal |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 60 km (37.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 17.5 km (10.9 mi) |
| Surface area | 250–450 km2 (97–174 sq mi) (from low tide to high tide) |
| Average depth | 1 m (3.3 ft) |
| Max. depth | 10 m (32.8 ft) at the mouth |
| Islands | Irrukam, Venadu and several smaller ones |
| Settlements | Sriharikota Pulicat Dugarājupatnam Sullurpeta |
Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, (after Chilika Lake), measuring 759 square kilometres (293 sq mi). A major part of the lagoon lies in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. The lagoon is one of three important wetlands that attracts northeast monsoon rain clouds during the October to December season. The lagoon comprises the following regions: Pulicat Lake (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu), Marshy/Wetland Land Region (AP), Venadu Reserve Forest (AP), and Pernadu Reserve Forest (AP). The lagoon was cut across in the middle by the Sriharikota Link Road, which divided the water body into lagoon and marshy land. The lagoon encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lagoon from the Bay of Bengal and is home to the Indian Space Research Organisation's Satish Dhawan Space Centre.[1]