Lakes

Here’s taking a look at the famous lakes in India and world wide. The Earth is home to millions of lakes that can be found on every continent, and almost every terrain from mountains and deserts, to plains and seashores. Lakes are deeper and larger than ponds. However, there is no one definition for it. Lagoons are commonly found along the ocean’s coast, while rivers and streams run in a channel on land. Some lakes are merely a few square metres in size, and these are usually called ponds. Some lakes are almost as wide as the sea. There are several sorts of lakes. The following are the 11 primary lake types:

Tectonic Lakes	Vertical and lateral displacement due to the deformation of the Earth’s crust forms these lakes.
Volcanic lakes	It is formed by volcanism that occupies either small depressions, such as craters and maars, or larger basins, such as calderas.
Glacial lakes	They are formed directly by glaciers and continental ice sheets. The most common forms of glacial lakes have been identified as lakes in direct contact with ice. Glacial lakes are the world’s most abundant lakes.
Fluvial lakes	Also called riverine lakes, they are lakes formed by flowing water.
Solution lakes	Forms a basin as a result of surface disintegration of bedrock.
Landslide lakes	They are formed when mudflows, rockslides, or screes obstruct a river valley.   These kinds of lakes are widespread in hilly areas. Landslide lakes can be enormous and deep, although they are usually short-lived.
Aeolian lakes	Wind activity creates aeolian lakes.   Found in the Mediterranean. These lakes are mainly found in dry regions.
Shoreline lakes	It is formed by blocking estuaries or the rough accretion of beach ridges.
Organic lakes	Formed by the activity of plants and animals are known as organic lakes.
Anthropogenic lakes	Lakes have been formed intentionally as a result of human activities.
Meteorite (extraterrestrial impact) lakes	Also known as crater lakes, these are formed when extraterrestrial objects such as asteroids or meteorites collide with the Earth.

Biological properties of lakes

• The littoral zone is the area of the lake that is completely above the regular water level and is never swamped by lake water.

• Littoral: The zone that extends from the tiny region above average water level to the deepest portion of the lake where submerged macrophyte growth is still possible.

• Transition zone: Metalimnions in stratified lakes form a transition zone that is too deep for macrophytes but contains photosynthetic algae and bacteria.

• Profundal: This is a sedimentary zone that is devoid of vegetation.

World’s most famous lakes

Lake Michigan-Huron	The second biggest lake in terms of surface area and the largest freshwater lake in surface area.
The Caspian Sea	The world’s biggest lake in terms of surface area.
Lake Baikal	This is the world’s deepest lake located in Siberia. It is considered to be the biggest freshwater lake in the world in terms of volume. This lake is also the world’s oldest lake on Earth.
Lake Tanganyika	The world’s longest lake, measuring around 660 kilometres in length.
Pumoyong Tso	World’s largest lake
Ojos del Salado	World’s highest lake
Dead Sea	World’s lowest lake

Notable Lakes of Continents

The following continents have the biggest lakes (in terms of surface area): Australia – Lake Eyre (salt lake) Africa – Lake Victoria is also the world’s 3rd largest freshwater lake. Antarctica (subglacial) – Lake Vostok Asia – Baikal Lake Eurasia – Caspian Sea Oceania – Lake Eyre when full which is usually for a short while. Oceania – Biggest permanent (and freshwater) lake – Lake Taupo Europe — Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in northern Russia. North America – Lake Michigan and Huron is a single lake hydrologically. Lake Superior would be the largest if Lakes Huron and Michigan were considered to be distinct lakes. South America — At 3,812 metres (12,507 feet) above sea level, Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable body of water.

India’s major lakes

Andhra Pradesh	Kolleru Lake	Largest freshwater lake in India.
Rajasthan	Sambhar Lake	India’s largest inland salt lake, it is shaped like a bowl.
Rajasthan	Pushkar Lake	It is considered a holy lake in the Hindu religion
Jammu Kashmir	Wular Lake	India’s largest freshwater lake has a surface size of almost 200 square kilometres.
Andhra Pradesh	Pulicat Lake	The country’s second-largest brackish-water lake or lagoon.
Manipur	Loktak Lake	The largest freshwater lake in the Northeast. Above the lake floats the world’s first floating national park.
Kerala	Vembanad Lake	India’s longest and largest lake. This lake is also called Punnamada Lake and Kochi Lake in Kuttanad and Kochi, respectively.
Gujarat	Nalsarovar Lake	This lake is perhaps the country’s largest water bird sanctuary.
Orissa	Chilka Lake	It is a brackish water lagoon that covers 1,100 square kilometres. It is also India’s largest coastal lagoon, and the world’s 2nd largest lagoon.
Sikkim	Tsomgo Lake	This is a glacier lake in East Sikkim.
Uttarakhand	Bhimtal Lake	The largest lake in the Kumaon area.
Uttarakhand	Nainital Lake	A natural freshwater lake shaped like a crescent
Kerala	Periyar Lake	It was created in 1895 when a dam was built over the Mullaperiyar River.
Telangana	Hussain Sagar Lake	It is located in Hyderabad and was constructed in 1562.
Rajasthan	Nakki Lake	According to Hindu folklore, it is an ancient sacred lake.
Madhya Pradesh	Bhojtal Lake	It is an essential drinking water supply for the city’s citizens, providing over 30 million imperial gallons.
Madhya Pradesh	Bhoj Wetland	Asia’s largest artificial lake.

State of lakes

Water, most of which comes from lakes, is used for various functions in today’s modern society, including dilution and removal of municipal and industrial pollutants, cooling, irrigation, power generation, and local leisure and aesthetic displays. Although this water is not chemically altered, the change in thermal quality may be harmful to the environment in which it is discharged, either directly by impairing fish health or functions or indirectly by promoting excessive plant growth and eventual deoxygenation owing to biological decay.

Problems and Effects

Eutrophication (ageing processes), chemical and biological poisoning, and water volume reductions are all critical issues affecting lakes across the world, especially in underdeveloped countries. The enrichment of lakes with various nutrients boosts biological production where the death and degradation of biological matter creates an overwhelming demand on the oxygen supply, resulting in oxygen depletion in the worst-case scenario. Phosphates and nitrates are two of the most significant nutrients in this domain that are often introduced in necessary amounts to deal with waste effluents from human sources. Chemical pollution of lakes has occurred as a result of the introduction of DDT and other pesticides, as well as heavy metals such as mercury. Another typical consequence of environmental neglect is bacterial contamination of the lake, posing a major health risk to all who use the water.

Conclusion

A lake is an inland basin, a relatively large body of slow-moving or still water. Most lakes are found in high northern latitudes and mountainous places, particularly those that have been buried by glaciers in recent geologic ages. The principal sources of lake water include melting ice and snow, springs, rivers, drainage from the land surface, and direct precipitation. The top regions of lakes provide plentiful light, heat, oxygen, and nutrients, which are efficiently dispersed by currents and turbulence. As a result, a lot of aquatic species are found here . Plankton, algae, and flagellates are the most common types. Bacteria are the most common types of life at lower levels and in sediments. Apart from providing us with water, lakes carry out the important function of water purification that is critical for ecosystem maintenance. Lakes are important because they transport water and nutrients to locations worldwide. They are an integral part of the water cycle as they serve as drainage pathways for surface water.