{{Short description|Lake in Kerala, India}} {{For|the 1990 film|Vembanad (film)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}} {{Moresources|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Vembanad Lake | native_name = {{native name|ml|വേമ്പനാട്ട് കായല്}} | image = Kumarkom.jpg | caption = Vembanad Lake | alt = Houseboat idling on Vembanad Lake | pushpin_map = India Kerala | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Vembanad Lake | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = | coords = {{coord|9|51|N|76|21|E|region:IN_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = | inflow = Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba, Periyar | outflow = several canals | catchment = | basin_countries = India | length = {{cvt|96.5|km}} | width = {{cvt|14|km}} | area = {{cvt|2033|km2}} | depth = | max-depth = {{cvt|12|m}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{cvt|0|m}} | islands = Pathiramanal, Perumbalam, Pallippuram, Kumbalangi | cities = Kottayam, Alleppey, Cochin, Cherthala | extra = {{Designation list |embed = yes |designation1 = Ramsar |designation1_offname = Vembanad-Kol Wetland |designation1_date = 19 August 2002 }} | date-flooded = 1341 (likely) }} '''Vembanad''' ({{IPA|ml|ʋeːmbɐnaːɖə̆|lang}}) is the longest lake in India,<ref>Ayub, Akber (ed), ''Kerala: Maps & More'', 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 48, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, {{ISBN|81-902505-2-3 }}</ref> and the largest in the state of Kerala. The lake has an area of {{Convert|2,033|km2}} and a maximum length of {{Convert|96.5|km|4=0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iahs.info/hyderabad/CD-Hyderabad/kishore/pdf/3807_Gopakumar_Analysis%20of%20the%20Bathymetry%20and.pdf |title=Vembanad - Kol Wetland |publisher=R. Gopakumar and Kaoru Takara, Centre for Water Resources Development and management, Kozhikode |access-date=2011-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721210857/http://iahs.info/hyderabad/CD-Hyderabad/kishore/pdf/3807_Gopakumar_Analysis%20of%20the%20Bathymetry%20and.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Spanning three districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as '''Vembanad 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, and Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is built around Willingdon Island and Vallarpadam island.
Kuttanad, also known as ''The Rice Bowl of Kerala'', has the lowest altitude in India, and is also one of the few places in the world where cultivation takes place below sea level.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kerala Boat Ferries Lone Passenger To Help Her Take Exam |url=https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/coronavirus-lockdown4-kerala-government-boat-ferries-lone-passenger-sandra-babu-to-help-her-take-exam-2238752 |last=Press Trust of India |date=1 June 2020 |access-date=17 November 2020 |work=NDTV |archive-date=16 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116093316/https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/coronavirus-lockdown4-kerala-government-boat-ferries-lone-passenger-sandra-babu-to-help-her-take-exam-2238752 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2003/07/13/stories/2003071300600200.htm |title=Thirst below sea level |last=Suchitra |first=M |date=13 August 2003 |work=The Hindu |access-date=17 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922101804/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/thirst-below-sea-level/article28523147.ece |archive-date=22 September 2019 }}</ref> 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.
==Geography and hydrography== thumb|left|100px|Location in Kerala The Vembanad lake is {{Convert|96.5|km|4=0|abbr=on}} long, making it the longest lake in India. The Vembanad wetland system covers an area of over {{Convert|2,033.02|km2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web| url = http://iahs.info/hyderabad/CD-Hyderabad/kishore/pdf/3807_Gopakumar_Analysis%20of%20the%20Bathymetry%20and.pdf| title = Vembanad - Kol Wetland| publisher = R. Gopakumar and Kaoru Takara, Centre for Water Resources Development and management, Kozhikode| access-date = 2011-02-07| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721210857/http://iahs.info/hyderabad/CD-Hyderabad/kishore/pdf/3807_Gopakumar_Analysis%20of%20the%20Bathymetry%20and.pdf| archive-date = 2011-07-21| url-status=dead| df = }}</ref> thereby making it the largest wetland system in India. Of this, an area of {{Convert|398.12|km2|abbr=on}} is located below the mean sea level (MSL) and a total of {{Convert|763.23|km2|abbr=on}} area is located below {{Convert|1|m}} MSL. The lake is bordered by Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. It is situated at 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 {{Convert|14|km|abbr=on}} 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 {{Convert|96.5|km|4=0|abbr=on}} in length. The lake is fed by 10 rivers flowing into it including the six major rivers of central Kerala namely the Achenkovil, Manimala River, Meenachil River, Muvattupuzha River, Pamba River and Periyar River. The total area drained by the lake is {{Convert|15770|km2|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/water/Ramsar%20cites.pdf |title=Ramsar Sites In Kerala |publisher=ENVIS Centre, Kerala |access-date=7 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721171629/http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/water/Ramsar%20cites.pdf |archive-date=21 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> which accounts for 40% of the area of Kerala. Its annual surface runoff of {{Convert|21,900|mm|abbr=on}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kumarakom |url=http://www.keralatourism.org/destination/destination.php?id=41 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716231211/http://www.keralatourism.org/destination/destination.php?id=41 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 {{Convert|290.85|km2|abbr=on}} in 1917 to {{Convert|227|km2|abbr=on}} in 1971 and {{Convert|213.28|km2|abbr=on}} in 1990. In the same period almost {{Convert|63.62|km2|abbr=on}} 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.
A unique characteristic of the lake is the {{convert|1252|m}}-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 created ecological problems, primarily, the rampant propagation of the water hyacinth in fresh water.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}
==Tourism== thumb|left|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''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boat driver held for misbehaving with tourist |work=The Times of India |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-26/bangalore/27160422_1_boat-tourist-vembanad-lake |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131025212807/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-26/bangalore/27160422_1_boat-tourist-vembanad-lake |archive-date=25 October 2013 }}</ref>
=== 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.
=== Bird sanctuary === The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake.
=== Boat races === During the months of August and September, the rivers in and near Kottayam turn into activity and attraction centers due to these boat races,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vembanad Lake |publisher=Kottayam District, Government of Kerala |url=https://kottayam.nic.in/en/tourist-place/vembanad-lake/ |access-date=22 November 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=22 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122065547/https://kottayam.nic.in/en/tourist-place/vembanad-lake/ |url-status=live }}</ref> a Kerala Tradition. Snake boat races - the lakes and rivers come alive during Onam with this water sport. <ref>{{Cite web |title=VEMBANAD LAKE {{!}} Kottayam District, Government of Kerala {{!}} India |url=https://kottayam.nic.in/en/tourist-place/vembanad-lake/ |access-date=22 November 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=22 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122065547/https://kottayam.nic.in/en/tourist-place/vembanad-lake/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Lake islands === The lake has a small island called Pathiramanal, which can be accessed only via a boat. Other major attraction is the island of Kakkathuruth.
==Inland transport== The Vembanad Wetland system has formed an intricate network of estuaries, lagoons and canals which spans over {{Convert|196|km|4=0|abbr=on}} in the north–south and {{Convert|29|km|4=0|abbr=on}} 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 {{Convert|30|km|4=0|abbr=on}} 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 {{Convert|209|km|4=0|abbr=on}}. It has been declared as a National Waterway.
==Ecological importance== [[File:Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom.jpg|thumb|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ramsar.org/sitelist.pdf |title=The List of Wetlands of International Importance |access-date=7 January 2008 |publisher=The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102104335/http://www.ramsar.org/sitelist.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=2 January 2008 }}</ref> It is home to more than 20,000 waterfowls – the third largest such population in India. It is also an ideal habitat for shrimp.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater_wetlands/our_work/ramsar_sites/vembanad___kol_wetland_.cfm |title=Vembanad - Kol Wetland |date=24 May 2006 |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |access-date=23 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217224244/http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater_wetlands/our_work/ramsar_sites/vembanad___kol_wetland_.cfm |archive-date=17 February 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|India}} * Alappuzha district * Kottayam district * Pathanamthitta district * Ernakulam district * Ashtamudi Lake
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Vembanad Lake}}
{{Waters of Kerala}} {{Tourism in Kerala}} {{Ramsar sites in India}} {{Authority control}} Category:Lakes of Kerala Category:Lagoons of India Category:Ramsar sites in India Category:Periyar (river) Category:Tourist attractions in Ernakulam district