Kuttanad, also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala, has the lowest altitude in India, and is also one of the few places in world where cultivation takes place below sea level.[3][4] Kuttanad lies on the southern portion of Vembanad.
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake. High levels of pollution have been noticed at certain hotspots of the Vembanad backwaters. The Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme.
The Vembanad lake is 96.5 km long, making it the longest lake in the country. The area of Vembanad backwater shrinked from 230 km2 in 1968 to 179.25 km2 as of 1983.[5] The lake is bordered by Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. It is situated at the sea level, and is separated from the Laccadive Sea by a narrow barrier island. Canals link the lake to other coastal lakes in the north and south. The lake surrounds the islands of Pathiramanal, Perumbalam and Pallippuram. The Vembanad Lake is approximately 14 kilometers wide at its widest point. The lake is a part of the Vembanad-Kol wetland system which extends from Alappuzha in the south to Azheekkode in the north, making it by far, India's longest lake at just over 96.5 km in length. The lake is fed by 10 rivers flowing into it including the six major rivers of central Kerala namely the Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil river, Muvattupuzha river, Pamba and Periyar. The total area drained by the lake is 15,770 km²,[6] which accounts for 40% of the area of Kerala. Its annual surface runoff of 21,900 Mm accounts for almost 30% of the total surface water resource of the state.
The most popular location on the shores of the lake is the Kumarakom Tourist Village situated on the east coast of the lake.[7] The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the northern fringes of Kumarakom village. The Vembanad Wetland system was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands in 2002. It is the largest of the three Ramsar Sites in the state of Kerala. Vembanad lake has been heavily reclaimed over the course of the past century with the water spread area reducing from 290.85 km² in 1917 to 227 km² in 1971 and 213.28 km² in 1990. In the same period almost 63.62 km of erstwhile water spread were reclaimed primarily for the formation of polders and to enlarge the extent of the Wellington island of Cochin port. The lake faces a major ecological crisis and has reduced to 37 percent of its original area, as a result of land reclamation.[citation needed]
A unique characteristic of the lake is the 1,252 metres (4,108 ft)-long Thanneermukkom salt water barrier constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of salt water into the Kuttanad low-lands. It is the largest mud regulator in India and essentially divides the lake into two parts – one with perennial brackish water and the other with fresh water from rivers draining into the lake. This barrier has helped farmers in Kuttanad by freeing the area of salinity and allowing them an additional crop in the dry season. The Thanneermukkom barrier is located at one of the narrower parts of the Vembanad Lake. Only two-thirds of the original number of gates are opened in July to release flood flow. These gates remain closed until mid-November. The main drawback of the structure has been the loss of opportunity for fish and prawns to migrate upstream, and also an increase in weed growth in the upstream, severely restricting the natural flushing of pollutants. The Thanneermukkom bund has also created ecological problems, primarily, the rampant propagation of the Water Hyacinth in fresh water.[citation needed]
Tourism
House Boat in Vembanadu Lake
The lake has become a major tourist attraction. A generally safe destination, this place had just one incident of tourist harassment in 2004 as reported in The Times of India.[8]
Houseboats
Vembanad Lake is at the heart of Kerala Backwaters tourism with hundreds of houseboats (kettuvallams in Malayalam) plied on it and numerous resorts on its banks.
During the months of August and September, the rivers in and near Kottayam turn into activity and attraction centers due to these Boat races,[9] a Kerala Tradition. Snake boat races - the lakes and rivers come alive during Onam with this water sport. It's a sight to watch oarsmen (about a hundred in one boat), slice their way through the backwaters.[10]
Lake Island
The lake has a small island called Pathiramanal, which can be accessed only via a boat. Other major attraction is the island Kakkathuruth.
Inland transport
The Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries, lagoons and canals which spans over 196 km in the north–south and 29 km in the east–west directions. Almost all villages in these areas can be accessed via water transport. The major rivers of Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Pamba and Achencovil rivers, are all navigable up to distances of about 30 km upstream in the tidal reach. The Kottappuram–Kollam segment of the west coast canal system has a major chunk passing through the Vembanad Lake and spans a total of 209 km. It has been declared as a National Waterway.
Vembanad Kol Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.[11] It is home to more than 20,000 waterfowls – the third largest such population in India. It is also an ideal habitat for shrimps.[12] Major livelihood activities of the people living on the shores of the lake include agriculture, fishing, tourism, inland navigation, coir retting, lime shell collection. The uncontrolled mining of shells from the lake bed is also posing a threat to the eco-system. The sewage effluents and the heavy load of organic material released from the neighboring areas including a medical college at Alappuzha are let into the water and are responsible for the decrease in dissolved oxygen content in the water in the water body.
Birds
Vembanad Wetland is hosting many migratory birds in the season. In addition to this, the fragile ecosystem carries more than 100 birds as natives. It comes in the way of Central Asian flyway. Tourism in this area is affecting the ecosystem and hence the life of 16 million people depending on it[dubious – discuss].
References
^Ayub, Akber (ed), Kerala: Maps & More, 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 48, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, ISBN81-902505-2-3
^"Boat driver held for misbehaving with tourist". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013.
^"VEMBANAD LAKE | Kottayam District, Government of Kerala | India". Retrieved 22 November 2022.
^"VEMBANAD LAKE | Kottayam District, Government of Kerala | India". Retrieved 22 November 2022.
^(PDF). The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
^. World Wildlife Fund. 24 May 2006. Archived from the original on 17 February 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
External links
Media related to Vembanad Lake at Wikimedia Commons
May 11, 2023
vembanad, 1991, film, film, longest, lake, india, well, largest, lake, state, kerala, lake, area, square, kilometers, maximum, length, spanning, several, districts, state, kerala, known, lake, kottayam, vaikom, changanassery, punnamada, lake, alappuzha, punnap. For the 1991 film see Vembanad film Vembanad is the longest lake in India 1 as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala The lake has an area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96 5 km 2 Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala it is known as Vembanadu Lake in Kottayam Vaikom Changanassery Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha Punnappra Kuttanadu and Kochi Lake in Kochi Several groups of small islands including Vypin Mulavukad Maradu Udayamperoor Vallarpadam Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island and the Vallarpadam island Vembanad LakeVembanad LakeVembanad LakeCoordinates9 35 N 76 25 E 9 583 N 76 417 E 9 583 76 417 Coordinates 9 35 N 76 25 E 9 583 N 76 417 E 9 583 76 417Native nameവ മ പന ട ട ക യല Malayalam Primary inflowsAchenkovil Manimala Meenachil Muvattupuzha Pamba PeriyarPrimary outflowsseveral canalsBasin countriesIndiaMax length96 5 km 60 0 mi Max width14 km 8 7 mi Surface area230 km2 89 sq mi Max depth12 m 39 ft Surface elevation0 m 0 ft IslandsPathiramanal Perumbalam PallippuramSettlementsKottayam Alleppey Cochin CherthalaRamsar WetlandOfficial nameVembanad Kol WetlandDesignated19 August 2002Kuttanad also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala has the lowest altitude in India and is also one of the few places in world where cultivation takes place below sea level 3 4 Kuttanad lies on the southern portion of Vembanad The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake High levels of pollution have been noticed at certain hotspots of the Vembanad backwaters The Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation Programme Contents 1 Geography and hydrography 2 Tourism 2 1 Houseboats 2 2 Bird Sanctuary 2 3 Boat Races 2 4 Lake Island 3 Inland transport 4 Ecological importance 5 Birds 6 References 7 External linksGeography and hydrography Edit Location in Kerala The Vembanad lake is 96 5 km long making it the longest lake in the country The area of Vembanad backwater shrinked from 230 km2 in 1968 to 179 25 km2 as of 1983 5 The lake is bordered by Alappuzha Kottayam and Ernakulam districts It is situated at the sea level and is separated from the Laccadive Sea by a narrow barrier island Canals link the lake to other coastal lakes in the north and south The lake surrounds the islands of Pathiramanal Perumbalam and Pallippuram The Vembanad Lake is approximately 14 kilometers wide at its widest point The lake is a part of the Vembanad Kol wetland system which extends from Alappuzha in the south to Azheekkode in the north making it by far India s longest lake at just over 96 5 km in length The lake is fed by 10 rivers flowing into it including the six major rivers of central Kerala namely the Achenkovil Manimala Meenachil river Muvattupuzha river Pamba and Periyar The total area drained by the lake is 15 770 km 6 which accounts for 40 of the area of Kerala Its annual surface runoff of 21 900 Mm accounts for almost 30 of the total surface water resource of the state The most popular location on the shores of the lake is the Kumarakom Tourist Village situated on the east coast of the lake 7 The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the northern fringes of Kumarakom village The Vembanad Wetland system was included in the list of wetlands of international importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands in 2002 It is the largest of the three Ramsar Sites in the state of Kerala Vembanad lake has been heavily reclaimed over the course of the past century with the water spread area reducing from 290 85 km in 1917 to 227 km in 1971 and 213 28 km in 1990 In the same period almost 63 62 km of erstwhile water spread were reclaimed primarily for the formation of polders and to enlarge the extent of the Wellington island of Cochin port The lake faces a major ecological crisis and has reduced to 37 percent of its original area as a result of land reclamation citation needed A unique characteristic of the lake is the 1 252 metres 4 108 ft long Thanneermukkom salt water barrier constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of salt water into the Kuttanad low lands It is the largest mud regulator in India and essentially divides the lake into two parts one with perennial brackish water and the other with fresh water from rivers draining into the lake This barrier has helped farmers in Kuttanad by freeing the area of salinity and allowing them an additional crop in the dry season The Thanneermukkom barrier is located at one of the narrower parts of the Vembanad Lake Only two thirds of the original number of gates are opened in July to release flood flow These gates remain closed until mid November The main drawback of the structure has been the loss of opportunity for fish and prawns to migrate upstream and also an increase in weed growth in the upstream severely restricting the natural flushing of pollutants The Thanneermukkom bund has also created ecological problems primarily the rampant propagation of the Water Hyacinth in fresh water citation needed Tourism Edit House Boat in Vembanadu LakeThe lake has become a major tourist attraction A generally safe destination this place had just one incident of tourist harassment in 2004 as reported in The Times of India 8 Houseboats Edit Vembanad Lake is at the heart of Kerala Backwaters tourism with hundreds of houseboats kettuvallams in Malayalam plied on it and numerous resorts on its banks Bird Sanctuary Edit The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake Boat Races Edit During the months of August and September the rivers in and near Kottayam turn into activity and attraction centers due to these Boat races 9 a Kerala Tradition Snake boat races the lakes and rivers come alive during Onam with this water sport It s a sight to watch oarsmen about a hundred in one boat slice their way through the backwaters 10 Lake Island Edit The lake has a small island called Pathiramanal which can be accessed only via a boat Other major attraction is the island Kakkathuruth Inland transport EditThe Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries lagoons and canals which spans over 196 km in the north south and 29 km in the east west directions Almost all villages in these areas can be accessed via water transport The major rivers of Muvattupuzha Meenachil Pamba and Achencovil rivers are all navigable up to distances of about 30 km upstream in the tidal reach The Kottappuram Kollam segment of the west coast canal system has a major chunk passing through the Vembanad Lake and spans a total of 209 km It has been declared as a National Waterway Ecological importance Edit Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom Vembanad Kol Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands 11 It is home to more than 20 000 waterfowls the third largest such population in India It is also an ideal habitat for shrimps 12 Major livelihood activities of the people living on the shores of the lake include agriculture fishing tourism inland navigation coir retting lime shell collection The uncontrolled mining of shells from the lake bed is also posing a threat to the eco system The sewage effluents and the heavy load of organic material released from the neighboring areas including a medical college at Alappuzha are let into the water and are responsible for the decrease in dissolved oxygen content in the water in the water body Birds EditVembanad Wetland is hosting many migratory birds in the season In addition to this the fragile ecosystem carries more than 100 birds as natives It comes in the way of Central Asian flyway Tourism in this area is affecting the ecosystem and hence the life of 16 million people depending on it dubious discuss References Edit Ayub Akber ed Kerala Maps amp More 2006 edition 2007 reprint p 48 Stark World Publishing Bangalore ISBN 81 902505 2 3 Fauna of Vembanad lake PDF Press Trust of India 1 June 2020 Kerala Boat Ferries Lone Passenger To Help Her Take Exam NDTV Retrieved 17 November 2020 Suchitra M 13 August 2003 Thirst below sea level The Hindu Archived from the original on 22 September 2019 Retrieved 17 November 2020 Faunal diversity of Vembanad lake PDF Kolkata Zoological survey of India ZSI 2009 p 5 ISBN 978 81 8171 222 6 Ramsar Sites In Kerala PDF ENVIS Centre Kerala Archived from the original PDF on 21 July 2011 Retrieved 7 February 2011 Kumarakom Boat driver held for misbehaving with tourist The Times of India Archived from the original on 25 October 2013 VEMBANAD LAKE Kottayam District Government of Kerala India Retrieved 22 November 2022 VEMBANAD LAKE Kottayam District Government of Kerala India Retrieved 22 November 2022 The List of Wetlands of International Importance PDF The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands Ramsar Iran 1971 Rue Mauverney 28 CH 1196 Gland Switzerland Archived from the original PDF on 2 January 2008 Retrieved 7 January 2008 Vembanad Kol Wetland World Wildlife Fund 24 May 2006 Archived from the original on 17 February 2008 Retrieved 23 January 2008 External links Edit Media related to Vembanad Lake at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vembanad amp oldid 1148258188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
