Singanallur Lake

Singanallur Lake
Location Coimbatore, India
Coordinates 10°59′20.59″N 77°1′21.88″E / 10.9890528°N 77.0227444°E / 10.9890528; 77.0227444Coordinates: 10°59′20.59″N 77°1′21.88″E / 10.9890528°N 77.0227444°E / 10.9890528; 77.0227444
Primary inflows Noyyal river canal
Basin countries India
Surface area 1.153 km2 (0.445 sq mi)
Average depth 4.25 m (13.9 ft)
Water volume 52,270,000 m3 (0.01254 cu mi)
Shore length1 3.1 km (1.9 mi)
Settlements Coimbatore
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Singanallur Lake is a lake in Singanallur, Coimbatore, South India. It is spread over an area of 1.153 km2 (0.445 sq mi) and has an average depth of 4.25 m (13.9 ft).[1] It is one of the 9 large lakes in the city.

Hydrography

The lake is fed by canals derived from Noyyal river. The lake also receives water from Sanganur drain and sewage water. The water can be released through two sluice gates on the lake.[1] In 2010, pipes were laid to connecting the lake to Valankulam Lake to drain excess water during floods.[2] The lake possessed the high alkalinity levels of 386.61 mg/L.[3]

Fauna

Eichornia crassipes is the main aquatic plant species causing eutrophication of the lake. The insect species included four orders Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Odonata.[4] Dragonfly population was also high in the lake.[3]

The lake supports a rich bio-diversity consisting of plankton, butterflies, resident and migratory birds. Various species of butterflies including common Mormon, joker butterfly, glassy tiger and plain tiger have been spotted in the lake.[5] Over 110 species of birds have been spotted in the lake. The spot-billed pelican, painted stork, openbill stork, ibis, spot-billed duck, teal and black-winged stilt visit the lake during their migration. Various families of birds recorded include cormorants, herons, storks, ibis, kites, ducks, francolin, crakes, jacanas, plovers, sandpipers, terns, doves and pigeons, parakeet, cuckoos, owls, swifts, kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, barbets, woodpeckers, larks, swallows, wagtails, shrikes, bulbul, robin, babblers, warblers, flycatchers, flowerpecker, sunbirds, munias, sparrows, weavers, myna, orioles, drongos and crows.[6]

Fishing

Fishing is carried out by local fishermen and enthusiasts. In the 2000s, due to encroachment and the fishes were infected with metals and pathogens from polluted waste water discharged from the sewage.[1]

Transport

A railway track connecting Podanur and Irugur passes over the lake.[1]

Environmental concerns

In 2006, the lake was encroached by water hyacinth and contaminated due to effluents released into the lake.[7] In 2014, Coimbatore Corporation unveiled a plan to clear the encroachments and use the lake for recreation. In January 2015, the lake was cleared and made ready for commercial tourism purposes.

Recreation

Singanallur boat house was opened in 2005 and was closed in 2009 due to poor maintenance.[8] In 2014, after the Coimbatore Corporation plan to de-silt the lake, the boat house was renovated.[9] The Government of Tamil Nadu will introduce water sports and boating on the lake.[5] Despite the increased inflow of tourists since renovation, tourists complain of unavailability of boats.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Coimbatore Singanallur lake". coimbatorecity.com. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Activists say blocking Valankulam lake can flood Coimbatore". Times of India. 12 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Pushparaj Karthika and Natraj Krishnaveni. "Impact assessment of dragon fly" (PDF). journalijar.com. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  4. ↑ Susheela P, Radha R. "Studies on the nutritional constituents and the aquatic insect fauna" (PDF). International journal of fauna. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Singanallur making waves". The Hindu. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  6. ↑ L. Joseph Reginald, C. Mahendran, S. Suresh Kumar and P. Pramod (December 2007). "Birds of Singanallur lake, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu" (PDF). Zoos' Print Journal 22 (12): 2944–2948. doi:10.11609/jott.zpj.1657.2944-8.
  7. ↑ "Singanallur lake". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Without boats, Coimbatore's Singanallur boathouse locked again". Times of India. 10 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Singanallur boat house to be renovated". Times of India. 17 October 2014.
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