Wular Lake, the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia.UPSC

Wular Lake

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Context

Extensive deforestation in Wular catchment has contributed to increasing silt influx into the lake during rains.

Details

It is the largest freshwater lake in Indiaand the second largest freshwater lake in Asia with a size of 189 sq. km.
It is located in Jammu and Kashmir on the foothills of Haramuk Mountain at an altitude of 1,580 m.
Main source of water for Wular Lake is River Jhelum.
It is spread over a total area of 200 sq.km., covering almost 24 km in length and 10 km in breadth.
The lake basinwas formed as a result of tectonic activity.
This lake also has a small island in its centre called the ‘Zaina Lank’. This island was constructed by King Zainul-Abi-Din.
In 1990, it was designated as a Wetland of International Importanceunder the Ramsar Convention.
It is an essential habitat for multiple migratory water birds within the Central Asian Flyway.
Wular Lake is rich in diversity of terrestrial birds like sparrow hawk, eared kite, Himalayan pied woodpecker, short-toed eagle, alpine swift.
At the entrance of the Wular Lake, a project known as the Tulbul Project was constructed to keep the navigation in a lock-cum-control structure.
Wular Lake is also an important habitat for fish and contributes about 60 percent of the fish yield of the Kashmir Valley.
Threat: The rivers Bohnar, Madamati and Erin from the mountain ranges and the rivers Vetasta (Jhelum) and the Ningal from the south bring hundreds of tons of silt into the lake every year. This rampant siltation and the human encroachments have devastating effects on the lake.