Nainital Lake
Encyclopedia
Nainital Lake, a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the township of Nainital in Uttarakhand
State of India
, tectonic in origin, is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end.
Nainital Lake, in the Nainital district called the Lake District of India, is one of the four Lakes of Kumaon hills
; the other three lakes are the Sattal Lake, the Bhimtal Lake and the Naukuchiyatal Lake.
There are two legends of the creation of Nainital Lake.
The first legend is recorded in the chapter ‘manas khand’ of the ‘Skanda Purana’ in which it states that the Nainital Lake was known as ‘Tri-Rishi-Sarovar’, meaning the lake of the three sages. The three sages Atri, Pulastya and Pulaha, (three of the Saptarshi
s), seven great sages-of the first Manvantara
, the Hindu
progenitor of mankind) while on their repentant pilgrimage
chanced to be in Naintal, and not finding water to drink, burrowed into the ground at the present day location of the lake and did tapas
(meditation
) there, which it is believed resulted in filling up of the burrowed hole with subterranean water drawn from the sacred Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. Hence, the folk lore belief is that a dip in this lake is meritorious.
The second legend pertains to Nainital, which is one of the 64 'Shakti Peethas' (holy places of cosmic power) in India. The story goes that when Lord Shiva in his grief on the death of his consort sati
's or Dākshāyani (a Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity who was the first wife of Shiva) carried her half charred dead body all over the earth, the left eye fell at Nainital and thus emerged the compound name Nainital (a word formed by naina and tal meaning 'eye' and 'lake' respectively), the sanctified home of the Goddess Naina Devi. It is claimed that the lake is also in emerald eye shape. As a Shkathisthal, the temple of Naina Devi is located at the northern end of the lake.
, Dehradun
and Howrah It is connected by National Highway No. to Delhi, Agra
, Dehradun, Haridwar
, Lucknow
, Kanpur & Bareilly
daily. The nearest airport is 70 km (43.5 mi) away.
an Colony on shores of the lake. The news magazine, the Englishman Calcutta, reported in 1841 discovery of this lake near Almora
.
The lake receives flows from the surrounding catchment basin which comprises the hill slopes and springs
. The hydrologic studies related to water balance
and sedimentation
was done using radioisotopes for estimating/measuring the various components of the inflow
and outflow
into the lake. Studies indicated that the subsurface inflow and outflow were significant – ranging from 43 to 63% and 41 to 54 %, respectively, of the total inflow and outflow, except in years of exceptionally heavy rainfall. The components of outflows were the surface outflow, the subsurface outflow through the springs on the downstream side and draft through wells for meeting the water supply of Nainital town and evaporation
loss from the lake surface. The mean water retention time for the lake was computed as 1.16 years for the mean annual rainfall.
group of rocks, comprising slate
s, marls, sandstones, limestones and dolomites
with a few small dykes intrusives, is the dominant geological formation of the lake’s surroundings. The lake is deduced to have been formed tectonically. Balia Nala, which is the main stream feeding the lake is along a fault line
and the subsequent streams align parallel to major joints and faults. 26 major drains feed the lake including the 3 perennial drains. The lake catchment has highly folded and faulted rocks due to poly phase deformation. Landslides are a frequent occurrence in the hill slopes surrounding the lake, which are steep. The slopes are highly vulnerable to landslides and mass movement due to various geological and human factors. Several landslides have occurred in the past (pictured) around the lake. Many settlements around the lake are located in landslide areas.
ranges up to 2000 m (6,561.7 ft), a temperate zone), is rich in flora (typical temperate climate plants) and fauna, the details of the flora
and fauna
specific to the lake and its surroundings recorded are the following.
(Banj)}; b) Aesculus
indica (Pangar or Horse chestnuts); c) Juglans regia (Akhrot or walnut), d) Populous ciliata (Hill Pipal, a sacred tree); e) Fraxinus miscrantha (Ash tree or Angu); f) Platanus orientalis
(Chinar); g) Rubus
lasiocarpus (Hisalu); h) Rosa moschata
(Kunj or Musk rose); i) Berberis
asiatica (Kilmora);j) Cupressus torulosa
(Surai or Himalayan cypress); k) Rhododendron arboreum
(Buruns); Cedrus deodara (Deodar); l) Salix acmophylla (Weeping Willow); and m) Pinus (Pine
).
The Aquatic Macrophytic vegetation recorded are the a) Potamogeton pectinatus
, 2) Potamogeton
crispus, 3) Polygonum
glabrum, 4) Polygonum
amphibium and Polygonum hydropiper (Water pepper).
Several species of medicinal flora and horticulture plants have also been reported.
, (the Hindi
name of mahāsir, mahāser, or mahāsaulā used for a number of fishes of the group), also hill trout and the mirror carp
which breed several times during one spawning season during May to September. Two species of Mahaseer fish viz., Tor tor: The red finned mahseer
and the Tor putitora
: The yellow finned mahseer
, a food fish which grows to varying sizes from 20 to 60 Cms (7.87 to 23.62 inches) are reported. The three species of Hill Trout found in the lake are the Schizothorax
sinuatus, Schizothorax
richardsoni and Schizothorax
plagiostornus. The imported fish bred in the lake is Mirror carp
or Cyprinus carpio. Gambusia affinis also called Mosquitofish
have been introduced in the lake as a biocontrol measure to control Mosquito
larva
e.
which get adsorbed onto the suspended sediments, which in turn settle down in the bottom of the lake. A study of the risk assessment code has revealed that 4–13% of manganese
, 4–8% of copper
, 17–24% of nickel
, 3–5% of chromium
, 13–26% of lead
, 14–23% of cadmium
and 2–3% of zinc
exist in exchangeable fraction which puts the lake under the low to medium risk category and infers that it could enter into food chain
and also cause deleterious effects to aquatic
life. This study provides the basic database to formulate guidelines for the dredging operations and/or restoration programmes in the lake.
The water quality studies carried out by the National Institute of Hydrology during 1999–2001 on physico-chemical parameters (pH
, temperature
profile, Secchi’s transparency, dissolved oxygen, BOD
, COD
and nutrients), biological profile (density of population, biomass
and species diversity of phyto, zooplankton
and macrobenthos
) and bacteriological characteristics have led to the conclusion that long-term limnological changes have occurred in the lake. Excess of nutrients inflow have contributed to the eutrophic conditions and the internal recycling of nutrients from sediments during water circulation has resulted in luxurious growth of phytoplankton
. The lake is thus anoxic and has reduced hypolimnion
, winter circulation, large phytoplankton and relatively lower animal population.
(PIL) before the Supreme Court of India
in 1995 seeking court directive for redress measures could be summarised as below:
who prepared a plan for the restoration of the lake, at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore (about US $ 10 million), sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, are also now guiding the restoration measures. The Conservation and Management Plan evolved by NIH is not only lake centric but also proposes to tackle the immediate periphery of the lake which contributes an adverse impact on the lake. The “Nainital Jheel Parikshetra Vishesh Kshetra Vikas Pradhikaran”, the Lake Development Authority notified under U.P. Special Area Development Act 1986 is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up for implementing the restoration works. The restoration works that have been implemented or are in different stages of implementation are the following:
The Honourable Supreme Court of India in its judgment of 1995, in response to the Public Interest Litigation, gave the following recommendations which have also been addressed in the restoration measures mentioned above.
In the “India Today” magazine, Prasanta Rajan, a journalist, in a preamble to the particular interest shown by the Lady District Magistrate of Nainital in restoration works of the lake has very vividly described the lake in these words:
) is held here in the third week of June. The Kumaon
festival which brings out the local cultures and traditions is organized every year during the winter months of October and November, by the Tourism Department.
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
State of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, tectonic in origin, is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end.
Nainital Lake, in the Nainital district called the Lake District of India, is one of the four Lakes of Kumaon hills
Lakes of Kumaon hills
Lakes of Kumaon hills are in Uttaranchal state, called the ‘Lake District’ of India. These are under restoration with funds provided by the National Lake Conservation Plan of the Government of India.. The lakes are the following.* Nainital Lake...
; the other three lakes are the Sattal Lake, the Bhimtal Lake and the Naukuchiyatal Lake.
Legend
The first legend is recorded in the chapter ‘manas khand’ of the ‘Skanda Purana’ in which it states that the Nainital Lake was known as ‘Tri-Rishi-Sarovar’, meaning the lake of the three sages. The three sages Atri, Pulastya and Pulaha, (three of the Saptarshi
Saptarshi
The Saptarishi are the seven rishis who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and Hindu literature. The Vedic Samhitas never actually enumerate these rishis by name, though later Vedic texts such as the Brahmanas and Upanisads do so. They are regarded in the Vedas as the patriarchs of the...
s), seven great sages-of the first Manvantara
Manvantara
Manvantara or Manuvantara , or age of a Manu , the Hindu progenitor of mankind, is an astronomical period of time measurement. Manvantara is a Sanskrit sandhi, a combination of words manu and antara, manu-antara or manvantara, literally meaning the duration of a Manu, or his life span .Each...
, the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
progenitor of mankind) while on their repentant pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
chanced to be in Naintal, and not finding water to drink, burrowed into the ground at the present day location of the lake and did tapas
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....
(meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
) there, which it is believed resulted in filling up of the burrowed hole with subterranean water drawn from the sacred Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. Hence, the folk lore belief is that a dip in this lake is meritorious.
The second legend pertains to Nainital, which is one of the 64 'Shakti Peethas' (holy places of cosmic power) in India. The story goes that when Lord Shiva in his grief on the death of his consort sati
Dakshayani
Dākshāyani or Satī is a Hindu Goddess of marital felicity and longevity. She is worshipped particularly by Hindu women to seek the long life of their husbands...
's or Dākshāyani (a Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity who was the first wife of Shiva) carried her half charred dead body all over the earth, the left eye fell at Nainital and thus emerged the compound name Nainital (a word formed by naina and tal meaning 'eye' and 'lake' respectively), the sanctified home of the Goddess Naina Devi. It is claimed that the lake is also in emerald eye shape. As a Shkathisthal, the temple of Naina Devi is located at the northern end of the lake.
Access
The nearest railhead on broad gauze line of North East Railways is at Kathgodam 35 km (21.7 mi) away from the lake and connects to DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
and Howrah It is connected by National Highway No. to Delhi, Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, Dehradun, Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, Kanpur & Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
daily. The nearest airport is 70 km (43.5 mi) away.
History
Historical records confirm that in 1839, Mr. P. Barron, from Rosa, an English business man in sugar trade, on a hunting expedition accidentally coming across the lake at Nainital was so captivated that he decided to build a EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Colony on shores of the lake. The news magazine, the Englishman Calcutta, reported in 1841 discovery of this lake near Almora
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
.
Topography and Hydrology
The lake is bounded by the high and steep Naina peak on the North West side, by the Tiffin Top to the south west side and snow view peaks on the north. Coniferous forest trees cover these hill ranges. The annual rainfall in the basin area of the lake is reported to be 1294.5 mm (43.15 inches). Tropical monsoon climate with maximum temperature 24.6°C and minimum of 0.5°C are recorded. The water is reported to be alkaline in nature (ph value of 8.4–9.3).The lake receives flows from the surrounding catchment basin which comprises the hill slopes and springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
. The hydrologic studies related to water balance
Water balance
In hydrology, a water balance equation can be used to describe the flow of water in and out of a system. A system can be one of several hydrological domains, such as a column of soil or a drainage basin....
and sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
was done using radioisotopes for estimating/measuring the various components of the inflow
Inflow (hydrology)
In hydrology, the inflow of a body of water is the source of the water in the body of water. It can also refer to the average volume of incoming water in unit time. It is contrasted with outflow....
and outflow
Discharge (hydrology)
In hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
into the lake. Studies indicated that the subsurface inflow and outflow were significant – ranging from 43 to 63% and 41 to 54 %, respectively, of the total inflow and outflow, except in years of exceptionally heavy rainfall. The components of outflows were the surface outflow, the subsurface outflow through the springs on the downstream side and draft through wells for meeting the water supply of Nainital town and evaporation
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
loss from the lake surface. The mean water retention time for the lake was computed as 1.16 years for the mean annual rainfall.
Geology
The KrolKrol
Krol is a surname and may refer to:* George A. Krol, American ambassador to Belarus* Henk Krol , Dutch journalist* Jack Krol , American baseball coach and manager* Joe Krol , Canadian Football League player...
group of rocks, comprising slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s, marls, sandstones, limestones and dolomites
Dolomites
The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
with a few small dykes intrusives, is the dominant geological formation of the lake’s surroundings. The lake is deduced to have been formed tectonically. Balia Nala, which is the main stream feeding the lake is along a fault line
Fault line
In geology, fault line refers to the surface trace of a fault.Fault line, Fault Line, or faultline may also refer to:* "Faultline", a song from the 2008 studio album Versus by The Haunted...
and the subsequent streams align parallel to major joints and faults. 26 major drains feed the lake including the 3 perennial drains. The lake catchment has highly folded and faulted rocks due to poly phase deformation. Landslides are a frequent occurrence in the hill slopes surrounding the lake, which are steep. The slopes are highly vulnerable to landslides and mass movement due to various geological and human factors. Several landslides have occurred in the past (pictured) around the lake. Many settlements around the lake are located in landslide areas.
Flora and fauna
While the Nainital district where the lake is situated (in the middle HimalayanHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
ranges up to 2000 m (6,561.7 ft), a temperate zone), is rich in flora (typical temperate climate plants) and fauna, the details of the flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
specific to the lake and its surroundings recorded are the following.
Vegetation
The trees and bushes grown in the region (lake’s basin) with their botanical and common Indian names (in parenthesis) are reported to be: a) Quercus incana {OakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(Banj)}; b) Aesculus
Aesculus
The genus Aesculus comprises 13-19 species of woody trees and shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere, with 6 species native to North America and 7-13 species native to Eurasia; there are also several hybrids. Species are deciduous or evergreen...
indica (Pangar or Horse chestnuts); c) Juglans regia (Akhrot or walnut), d) Populous ciliata (Hill Pipal, a sacred tree); e) Fraxinus miscrantha (Ash tree or Angu); f) Platanus orientalis
Platanus orientalis
Platanus orientalis, or the Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family, known for its longevity and spreading crown. The species name derives from its historical distribution eastward from the Balkans, where it was recognized in ancient Greek history and literature....
(Chinar); g) Rubus
Rubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
lasiocarpus (Hisalu); h) Rosa moschata
Rosa moschata
Rosa moschata is a species of rose long in cultivation. Its wild origins are uncertain but are suspected to lie in the western Himalayas.-Form:R...
(Kunj or Musk rose); i) Berberis
Berberis
Berberis , the barberries or pepperidge bushes, is a genus of about 450-500 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1-5 m tall with thorny shoots, native to the temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. They are closely related to the genus...
asiatica (Kilmora);j) Cupressus torulosa
Cupressus torulosa
Cupressus torulosa, known as the Himalayan cypress, is a species of cypress in southern Asia.-Distribution:The Himalayan cypress is an evergreen conifer tree species is found in the Himalaya from . It is also found on limestone terrain in Sichuan China and in Vietnam.-See also:*Cupressus*Index:...
(Surai or Himalayan cypress); k) Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Rhododendron arboreum is also the national flower of Nepal.-Description:Its name means "tending to be woody or growing in a...
(Buruns); Cedrus deodara (Deodar); l) Salix acmophylla (Weeping Willow); and m) Pinus (Pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
).
The Aquatic Macrophytic vegetation recorded are the a) Potamogeton pectinatus
Potamogeton pectinatus
Stuckenia pectinata , commonly called fennel pondweed or sago pondweed, and sometimes called ribbon weed....
, 2) Potamogeton
Potamogeton
Potamogeton is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed...
crispus, 3) Polygonum
Polygonum
Polygonum is a genus in the Polygonaceae family. Common names include knotweed, knotgrass, bistort, tear-thumb, mile-a-minute, and several others. In the Middle English glossary of herbs "Alphita" , it was known as ars-smerte. There have been various opinions about how broadly the genus should be...
glabrum, 4) Polygonum
Polygonum
Polygonum is a genus in the Polygonaceae family. Common names include knotweed, knotgrass, bistort, tear-thumb, mile-a-minute, and several others. In the Middle English glossary of herbs "Alphita" , it was known as ars-smerte. There have been various opinions about how broadly the genus should be...
amphibium and Polygonum hydropiper (Water pepper).
Several species of medicinal flora and horticulture plants have also been reported.
Aqua fauna
The fishes found in the lake are generally carps MahseerMahseer
Mahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...
, (the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
name of mahāsir, mahāser, or mahāsaulā used for a number of fishes of the group), also hill trout and the mirror carp
Mirror carp
Mirror carp are a type of fish, commonly found in the United Kingdom and Europe. The name "Mirror Carp" originates from their scales' resemblance to mirrors. They can grow in excess of 60lb - the last few British record fish have all been mirror carp....
which breed several times during one spawning season during May to September. Two species of Mahaseer fish viz., Tor tor: The red finned mahseer
Mahseer
Mahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...
and the Tor putitora
Tor putitora
Tor putitora, the Putitor mahseer, is a species of cyprinid fish that is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh , Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. It is a popular gamefish and can reach lengths of up to 2.75 meters though fish of this size are now quite rare....
: The yellow finned mahseer
Mahseer
Mahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...
, a food fish which grows to varying sizes from 20 to 60 Cms (7.87 to 23.62 inches) are reported. The three species of Hill Trout found in the lake are the Schizothorax
Schizothorax
Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish from Central and East Asia. Their scientific name means "cleft-breast", from Ancient Greek schízeïn "to cleave" + thórax "breast-plate"...
sinuatus, Schizothorax
Schizothorax
Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish from Central and East Asia. Their scientific name means "cleft-breast", from Ancient Greek schízeïn "to cleave" + thórax "breast-plate"...
richardsoni and Schizothorax
Schizothorax
Schizothorax is a genus of cyprinid fish from Central and East Asia. Their scientific name means "cleft-breast", from Ancient Greek schízeïn "to cleave" + thórax "breast-plate"...
plagiostornus. The imported fish bred in the lake is Mirror carp
Mirror carp
Mirror carp are a type of fish, commonly found in the United Kingdom and Europe. The name "Mirror Carp" originates from their scales' resemblance to mirrors. They can grow in excess of 60lb - the last few British record fish have all been mirror carp....
or Cyprinus carpio. Gambusia affinis also called Mosquitofish
Mosquitofish
The mosquitofish is a species of freshwater fish, also commonly, if ambiguously, known by its generic name, gambusia. It is sometimes called the western mosquitofish, to distinguish it from the eastern mosquitofish . It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes...
have been introduced in the lake as a biocontrol measure to control Mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e.
Fauna
Nine species of birds and nine species of animals have been recorded in the Nainital district.Water quality
A scientific study indicates that the open drains feeding the lake introduce toxic substances from the catchment of the lake, particularly heavy metalsHeavy metals
A heavy metal is a member of a loosely-defined subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties. It mainly includes the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides. Many different definitions have been proposed—some based on density, some on atomic number or atomic weight,...
which get adsorbed onto the suspended sediments, which in turn settle down in the bottom of the lake. A study of the risk assessment code has revealed that 4–13% of manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
, 4–8% of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, 17–24% of nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
, 3–5% of chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
, 13–26% of lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, 14–23% of cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...
and 2–3% of zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
exist in exchangeable fraction which puts the lake under the low to medium risk category and infers that it could enter into food chain
Food chain
A food web depicts feeding connections in an ecological community. Ecologists can broadly lump all life forms into one of two categories called trophic levels: 1) the autotrophs, and 2) the heterotrophs...
and also cause deleterious effects to aquatic
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
life. This study provides the basic database to formulate guidelines for the dredging operations and/or restoration programmes in the lake.
The water quality studies carried out by the National Institute of Hydrology during 1999–2001 on physico-chemical parameters (pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
, temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
profile, Secchi’s transparency, dissolved oxygen, BOD
Biochemical oxygen demand
Biochemical oxygen demand or B.O.D. is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period. The term also refers to a chemical procedure for...
, COD
Chemical oxygen demand
In environmental chemistry, the chemical oxygen demand test is commonly used to indirectly measure the amount of organic compounds in water. Most applications of COD determine the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water or wastewater, making COD a useful measure of water quality...
and nutrients), biological profile (density of population, biomass
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
and species diversity of phyto, zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
and macrobenthos
Macrobenthos
Macrobenthos consists of the organisms that live at the bottom of a water column and are visible to the naked eye. In some classification schemes, these organisms are larger than 1 mm; in another, the smallest dimension must be at least 0.5 mm...
) and bacteriological characteristics have led to the conclusion that long-term limnological changes have occurred in the lake. Excess of nutrients inflow have contributed to the eutrophic conditions and the internal recycling of nutrients from sediments during water circulation has resulted in luxurious growth of phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye...
. The lake is thus anoxic and has reduced hypolimnion
Hypolimnion
The hypolimnion is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally-stratified lake. It is the layer that lies below the thermocline.Typically the hypolimnion is the coldest layer of a lake in summer, and the warmest layer during winter...
, winter circulation, large phytoplankton and relatively lower animal population.
Threats to the lake
The problems facing the lake which were also listed in the plea in a Public Interest LitigationPublic interest litigation
In Indian law, Public Interest Litigation OR जनहित याचिका means litigation for the protection of the public interest. It is litigation introduced in a court of law, not by the aggrieved party but by the court itself or by any other private party...
(PIL) before the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
in 1995 seeking court directive for redress measures could be summarised as below:
- The lake is eutrophic to high nutrientNutrientA nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment. They are used to build and repair tissues, regulate body processes and are converted to and used as energy...
accumulation and growth of phytoplankton. Algal blooms had caused loss of transparency. In spite of installing sewer lines to prevent sewage entering the lake still some effluents from drains, leakage and open defecation add to the eutrophicationEutrophicationEutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
. - High SiltationSiltationSiltation is the pollution of water by fine particulate terrestrial clastic material, with a particle size dominated by silt or clay. It refers both to the increased concentration of suspended sediments, and to the increased accumulation of fine sediments on bottoms where they are undesirable...
resulting in reduction of lake depth (the depth of lake is reported to have reduced from its original depth of 27.97 m to only 19.6m.), - Clogging of water channels (drains) in the surrounding hills because of encroachmentStructural encroachmentA structural encroachment is a concept in American real property law, in which a piece of real property hangs from one property over the property line of another landowner's premises. The actual structure that encroaches might be a tree, bush, bay window, stairway, steps, stoop, garage, leaning...
, leading to poor drainage. - Landslides from the unstable hill slopes draining in to the lake
- Inadequate sanitation facilities for the poor section of society, commuters and tourists.
Lake restoration
The National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) of RoorkeeRoorkee
Roorkee is a city and seat of a municipal council in Uttarakhand, in far northern India. It is located on the banks of the Ganges canal on the national highway between Delhi and Dehradun. Roorkee is known for Roorkee Cantonment, one of the country's oldest cantonments, and the headquarters of...
who prepared a plan for the restoration of the lake, at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore (about US $ 10 million), sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, are also now guiding the restoration measures. The Conservation and Management Plan evolved by NIH is not only lake centric but also proposes to tackle the immediate periphery of the lake which contributes an adverse impact on the lake. The “Nainital Jheel Parikshetra Vishesh Kshetra Vikas Pradhikaran”, the Lake Development Authority notified under U.P. Special Area Development Act 1986 is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up for implementing the restoration works. The restoration works that have been implemented or are in different stages of implementation are the following:
- Limnological measures such as controlled aeration of hypolimnetic water, siphonSiphonThe word siphon is sometimes used to refer to a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. But in the English language today, the word siphon usually refers to a tube in an inverted U shape which causes a liquid to flow uphill, above the surface of the reservoir,...
ing of hypolimnetic water, biomanipulation and limited sedimentSedimentSediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
removal from the deltas of drains which lead to the lake. - Soil Conservation & Slope Stabilization measures in the form of soil conservation and watershed managementWatershed managementWatershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human...
activities in the catchment area of the lake, slope stabilization, DrainageDrainageDrainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
line treatment, landslideLandslideA landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
scars to be treated with CoirCoirCoir is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses etc. Technically coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery...
geotextiles with gabionGabionGabions are cages, cylinders, or boxes filled with soil or sand that are used in civil engineering, road building, and military applications. For erosion control caged riprap is used. For dams or foundation construction, cylindrical metal structures are used...
cross-barriers and proper maintenance and cleaning of drainage system - Provide 100% coverage of the town surrounding the lake with sewers and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs)
- Improved sanitationSanitationSanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
around the lake and in the catchment with new community toilets to cover all sections of the society, improved design of household toilets - Better solid waste management by disposing of the solid waste through a chute to the downhill outside the catchment, developing landfillLandfillA landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
sites is developed and in isolated habitations in the upper reaches of hills, introduce composting measures with support from NGOs. - Limited dredging of the lake, particularly near the deltas of drains that bring sediments
- Fish Gambusia affinis introduced a few years ago to control mosquito larvae, the fish have started feeding on the larger zooplanktonZooplanktonZooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
resulting due to scanty larvaLarvaA larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e population resulting in adverse impact on the lake water quality. This needs to be controlled by putting minnow traps in the lake and introducing some other fish species - The outflow from the lake is into the Balia Nala drain controlled by a set of sluices located at the lake bridge. The sluices which are old need renovation and replacement. The Balia Nala also needs slope stabilization measures to check landslides
- Shoreline Development and improvement of facilities at all important monuments and temples located in the periphery of the lake and providing avenue paths and roads
- Improved Public Awareness and Public Participation programmes
- The “Nainital Jheel Parikshetra Vishesh Kshetra Vikas Pradhikaran” could function better in a limited role as a promoter and a facilitator for developmental and commercial activities with jurisdiction extended to cover all four lakes in the district, as at present a plethora of organizations are functioning in the notified area such as Nainital Nagar Palika Parishad, Jal Nigam, Irrigation Department, Power Corporation, Forest Department and Fisheries Department who are directly involved with the lake.
The Honourable Supreme Court of India in its judgment of 1995, in response to the Public Interest Litigation, gave the following recommendations which have also been addressed in the restoration measures mentioned above.
(i)Sewage water has to be prevented at any cost from entering the lake; (ii) So far as the drains which ultimately fall in the lake are concerned, it has to be seen that building materials are not allowed to be heaped on the drains to prevent siltation of the lake;(iii) Care has been taken to see that horse dung does not reach the lake. If for this purpose the horse stand has to be shifted somewhere, the same would be done. The authorities would examine whether trotting of horses around the lake is also required to be prevented;(iv) Multi-storeyed group housing and commercial complexes have to be banned in the town area of Naini Tal. Building of small residential houses on flat areas could, however, be permitted;(v) The offence of illegal felling of trees is required to be made cognizable.(vi) Vehicular traffic on the Mall has to be reduced. Heavy vehicles may not be permitted to ply on Mall;(vii) The fragile nature of Ballia Ravine has to be taken care of. The cracks in the revetment of Ballia Nullah have to be repaired urgently.
In the “India Today” magazine, Prasanta Rajan, a journalist, in a preamble to the particular interest shown by the Lady District Magistrate of Nainital in restoration works of the lake has very vividly described the lake in these words:
Look for the lake through the colonial windows of Pant House, a vintage EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
bungalow on the hilltop, now submerged in wintry night, solitary with a kind of Wuthering HeightsWuthering HeightsWuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
mystery. Down below, the lake is a laminated stillness, protected by seven never-sleeping hills. In the dead darkness of KumaonKumaon DivisionFor Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
, this magnificence is a distant, partially lit vision, less than real, as the hills of frozen memories make the lake a footnote in water.
Other attractions
There is the Nainital Boat Club that offers yachting facilities at the lake. The Annual Kingfisher Yachting Competition (RegattaRegatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
) is held here in the third week of June. The Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
festival which brings out the local cultures and traditions is organized every year during the winter months of October and November, by the Tourism Department.