Lakes : Geography

India is one of the countries which has numerous lakes. These lakes differ from each other in size and other characteristics.

• Most lakes are permanent
• Some contain water only during the rainy season
• Some lakes are the result of the action of glaciers and ice sheets
• Some have been formed by wind, river action and human activities

Lakes are natural features in Kashmir which are outstanding for their scenic beauty. There are many lakes in the state of Jammu & Kashmir because of its beautiful surroundings. Different lakes are:

• A meandering river across a floodplain forms cut-offs that later develops into ox-bow lakes.
• Spits and bars form lagoons in the coastal areas. Eg: the Chilika lake, the Pulicat lake and the Kolleru lake.
• Lakes in the region of inland drainage are sometimes seasonal. For example, the Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan is a salt water lake which is used for producing salt.
• Most of the freshwater lakes are in the Himalayan region. They are of glacial origin. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir is the result of tectonic activity which is the largest freshwater lake in India. Some other important freshwater lakes are Dal lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and Barapani.