Types of Lakes in India
India is resource rich country in the world. This part of the earth contains various natural and artificial lakes. These are lifelines to many areas of India. Different types of Lakes found in India are available. These lakes can be classified into various types depending on type of water and formation. Major lakes categories are as freshwater or saltwater lakes. Type of Indian lakes is also important for students to enhance General Knowledge for exams. In this page we shall explore different categories of lakes which are found in India.
Category of Indian Lakes
A lake provides many types of benefits. Water of lakes is considered to be more fresh than rivers. In many areas of India people drink lake water. Apart from drinking supply, lakes also help in preventing flood by regulating the flow of river. Lakes can also be used for generating hydel power. In India below are major types of lakes found. These are important for students to remember.
| S.No | List of Types Lake in India |
| 1. | Freshwater Lakes |
| 2. | Saltwater Lakes |
| 3. | Natural Lakes |
| 4. | Oxbow Lakes |
| 5. | Artificial Lakes |
| 6. | Crater Lakes |
Type of Lakes Found in India- Details
1) Freshwater Lakes: As the name suggests, the water available in these type of lakes is fresh or drinkable. Salt water bodies or sea water or brackish water does not fall under this category. Water of such lakes having low concentration of dissolved salts. These water bodies are normally found in low lying areas. It is naturally occurring water on the Earth. Wular Lake in Jammu & Kashmir is India’s largest Fresh Water Lake. Fresh water Lakes in India has special importance as many people are dependent on these for daily water requirements.
2) Saltwater Lakes: The next type of lakes found in India are salt water lakes. A lake having high amount of salt present in water is called termed as salt lake or saline lake. Mainly, these contain Sodium Chloride. Water of some of the lakes are even more salty than sea water.
How water of Lakes becomes Salty?
When water enters into the lake, it gets collected in the lake. Water then gets evaporated leaving behind salts and minerals present in it. Salt is produced from this type of water.
3) Natural Lakes: These lakes are created naturally. It is the important lakes found in India. These kinds of lakes are mostly found in mountains or rift areas.
4) Oxbow Lakes: The type of this lake is U shaped. It is formed when wide meander of a river is cut off. This creates a free-standing body of water.
5) Artificial Lakes: As the name suggests, these are man made lakes. These are created artificially to serve various purposes. These type of lakes are used for industrial purposes, water supply, water system for community. India too has created some artificial lakes.
6) Crater Lakes: This type of lake is formed from explosive activity or collapse during a volcanic eruption. It leaves empty space there which is them filled by water. Thus creates Crater Lake.
Important Facts About Lakes of India
| Category of Lake | Type of lake | Name of Lake |
| Largest | Fresh Water | Wular Lake, Jammu Kashmir |
| Highest | Altitude | Cholamu Lake, Sikkim |
| Largest | Saline Water | Chilka Lake, Odisha |
| Longest | — | Vembanad Lake, Kerala |
| Largest | Artificial | Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam) |
Application of Lakes In India
Lakes are an important addons to beauty of nature. Apart from beauty, lakes are also very useful for mankind. These serve various purposes. Out of these some important ones are as under.
- Irrigation
- Drinking
- Livelihood
- Navigation
- Traveling
Those were the types of important lakes found in India. There are other types also but, these are the major ones which everyone must know. Next we shall study about the these lakes present in India one by one. Keep checking other pages about various kinds of lakes present in India.
Important Facts About Lakes in India
- Wular Lake (Kashmir) is the largest fresh water lake in India and Asia also.
- Vembanad longest lake of India is located in Kerala.
- Orissa’s Chilika Lake largest among saline water lakes of India.
- Highest lake in India is Cholamu lake, Sikkim.