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{{Short description|Lake in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Kolleru Lake
| image = File:A bridge over Kolleru.jpg
| caption = A bridge over Kolleru
| alt = A bridge over Kolleru lake
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Andhra Pradesh]]
| coords = {{coord|16|39|N|81|13|E|region:IN-AP_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow = Ramileru, Tammileru, Budameru, Polaraj drain
| outflow = Upputeru
| catchment =
| basin_countries = [[India]]
| pushpin_map = India Andhra Pradesh
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Kolleru lake within Andhra Pradesh
| length =
| width =
| area = {{convert|90100|ha|acre|-2}} <ref>Ramsar Convention [https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1209 Ramsar Convention of Kolleru Lake] www.ramsar.org</ref> (245 sq km lake area)
|extra = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_date = 19 August 2002
| designation1_number = 1209<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kolleru Lake|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1209|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>
}}
| depth = {{convert|1.0|m}}
| max-depth = {{convert|2.0|m}}
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands = [[Kolletikota]](Heart of Kolleru Lake), Gudivakalanka
| cities = [[Eluru]]
}}

'''Kolleru Lake''' is one of the largest freshwater [[lake]]s in [[India]] located in state of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and forms the largest shallow freshwater<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aptdc.gov.in/special-tours/kolleru_waterlake.html|title=Kolleru Water Lake|website=aptdc.gov.in|language=en|access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> lake in Asia (with 245 sq km of lake area and 302 sq km of total Ramsar designated wetland), 15 kilometers away from the [[Eluru]] and 65 km from [[Rajamahendravaram]], it is located between [[Krishna river|Krishna]] and [[Godavari]] deltas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Watershed map of east flowing rivers between Godavari and Krishna basins|url=http://www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/Publications/WatershedSubbasinAtlas/1.%20East%20Flowing%20Rivers%20between%20Godavari%20and%20Krishna.pdf |access-date=31 March 2016}}</ref> Kolleru spans into two districts – Krishna and West Godavari. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal [[Budameru]] and [[Tammileru]] streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari irrigation systems by over 67 major and minor irrigation canals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Worries grow as kolleru shrinks|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/worries-grow-as-kolleru-shrinks/article8235423.ece |access-date=31 March 2016}}</ref> This lake is a major tourist attraction. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as [[Siberian crane]], ibis, and painted storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory [[bird]]s, including the grey or [[spot-billed pelican]] (''Pelecanus philippensis''). The lake was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India's [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972]], and designated a [[Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance|wetland of international importance]] in November 2002 under the international [[Ramsar Convention]]. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 308 km2.<ref name="Ramsar list">{{cite web|title=Ramsar List|url=http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/sitelist.pdf|publisher=Ramsar.org|access-date=31 March 2013}}</ref>
[[File:Egrets, Grey Herons, Painted Storks & Black-headed Ibises gathering at Kolleru, AP W IMG 4181.jpg|thumb|Egrets, grey herons, painted storks and black-headed ibises gathering in thousands at Kolleru Lake, [[Andhra Pradesh]], India.]]Kolleru Lake under [[Ramsar Convention]] (allowing local communities (Here: [[Vaddi Community]]) to continue their occupation of culture fish and caught fish) covers {{convert|90100|ha|acre|-2}} and Kolleru Lake under Wildlife Sanctuary covers {{convert|166000|acre|ha|-2}}.<ref>Ramsar Convention [https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1209 Ramsar Convention of Kolleru Lake] www.rsis.ramsar.org</ref>

== Current state of the lake ==

Thousands of fish tanks were dug up, effectively converting the lake into a mere drain. This has great impact in terms of pollution, leading to difficulty in getting drinking water for the local people. This is in addition to the loss of ecological diversity and intrusion of sea water into the land masses and its fallout in terms of adverse influence on the rainfall pattern in this region. This imbalance has an adverse effect on the thousands of acres of crops in the upper reaches of the sanctuary, in view of the stoppage of water flow into the sea because of obstruction by the bunds of the fish tanks that have appeared illegally.

[[File:Sunset with Grey Herons, Egrets, Painted Storks & Black-headed Ibises gathering at Kolleru, AP W IMG 4225.jpg|thumb|Kolleru Lake]]

Satellite images taken on 9 February 2001 by the Indian remote sensing satellite found that approximately 42% of the 245 km2 lake was occupied by [[aquaculture]], while [[agriculture]] had encroached upon another 8.5%. The area under aquaculture consisted of 1,050 fish ponds within the lake and 38 dried-up fish ponds, which together covered an area of 103 km2. The agricultural encroachments were mostly [[rice]] paddies. Surprisingly, no clear water could be found in the satellite image. The rest of the lake is diminished by water diversion or is infested with weeds like [[elephant grass]] and the [[water hyacinth]].

Rich in flora and fauna, the lake had always attracted migratory birds from Northern Asia and Eastern Europe, between the months of October and March. During this season, the lake used to be visited by an estimated two million birds.

The resident birds include:
* [[Spot-billed pelican|grey pelicans]],
* [[Asian open-billed stork|Asian open-bill]] (''Anastomus oscitans''),
* [[painted stork]]s (''Mycteria leucocephala''),
* [[glossy ibis]]es and
* [[black-headed ibis|white ibis]]es.

The migratory birds include:
* [[red-crested pochard]]s,
* [[black-winged stilt]]s,
* [[pied avocet]]s,
* [[common redshank]]s,
* [[Eurasian wigeon]]s,
* [[gadwall]]s,
* [[great cormorant]]s,
* [[garganey]]s,
* [[purple heron]]s,
* [[greater flamingo]]s,
* [[green-winged teal]]s,
* [[northern pintail]]s and
* [[northern shoveler]]s.

[[Kolleru]] lake contains numerous fertile islets called [[lanka]]s; many of the small ones are submerged during floods. The origin of the unusual depression which forms the bed of the lake is unknown, but it was possibly the result of an earthquake. Therefore, many ancient villages are precepted in the bed of the lake as a result of floods and earthquake. building the industries and factories near the lake that why the lake is polluting and the govt. also declared the operation kolleru.

== History ==
{{wide image|Panorama of Kolleru Lake 1.jpg|1000px|center|Panorama of Kolleru Lake}}

Two copper plates of have been found in the lake, tracing its history to reign of the [[Eastern Ganga dynasty|Eastern Ganga]] rulers. The Suryavamsi Gajapatis of [[Odisha]] at the height of their power in the 15th century under the reign of Kapilendra deva, the first [[Suryavansha|Suryavamsi]] Gajapati emperor, the boundary of the Kalinga empire (Ancient [[Odisha]]) stretched from river [[Ganges]] in North to [[Kaveri]] in South and from [[Amarkantak]] in West to [[Bay of Bengal]](Kalinga Sagara) in east.

==Sanctuary==
{{Main|Atapaka Bird Sanctuary}}
[[File:Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) at nest at Atapaka in Kolleru W IMG 3738.jpg|thumb|Spot-billed pelicans ''[[Pelecanus philippensis]]'' at Attapaka in Kolleru Lake, [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]]. ]]
The sanctuary has the following watch towers for sighting the birds.

Atapaka: 1.5 km from Kaikaluru to see varieties of waterfowl.
Murthyraju tank 8 km from Nidamarru
East Chodavaram: 25 km from Eluru where openbill storks nest in colonies from July to December.

[[File:Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) in Kolleru, AP W IMG 4052.jpg|thumbnail|Purple heron (''Ardea purpurea'') in Kolleru]]

The sanctuary is approachable from all four sides of the lake by road, directly to the following places:
* Atapaka – 2.5 km from Kaikaluru town
* Bhujabalapatnam – 6 km from Kaikaluru
*pallevada −9  km from kaikaluru town
* Kovvada Lanka—7 km from Kaikaluru town *Murthiraju Tanks – 8 km from Nidamarru
*Gudivakalanka – 3 km from Gudivakalanka or 15 km from Eluru, The nearest city by road or rail.
*Prathikola Lanaka or 19 km from Eluru. The nearest city is Eluru, which is 35 km by road.
* Kolletikota −18 km from Kaikalur.

===Accommodation===
Hotels are available in [[Eluru]], [[Bhimavaram]], [[Narasapuram, West Godavari district|Narsapur]], [[Palakollu]], [[Kaikaluru]], [[Akividu]], [[Rajamahendravaram]], [[Vijayawada]] and [[Machilipatnam]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aptdc.gov.in/vijayawada.html |title=Accommodation at vijayawada |access-date=6 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629213706/http://www.aptdc.gov.in/vijayawada.html |archive-date=29 June 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
History of Kolleru: The Imperial Gazetteer of India By Sir William Wilson Hunter, volume ix

==External links==
*{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209005621/http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater_wetlands/our_work/ramsar_sites/kolleru_lake_.cfm | archive-date=9 February 2007 | title=Kolleru Lake | url=http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater_wetlands/our_work/ramsar_sites/kolleru_lake_.cfm | publisher=WWF India | access-date=1 June 2018 }}
*https://web.archive.org/web/20060824182531/http://www.aptourism.com/apservlets/jsp/iplaces3.jsp?&THEME=Wild+Life&LOCATION=Kolleru&DISTRICT=West+Godavari&infoId=217
*{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-youngworld/waiting-for-the-birds-of-good-fortune/article3227769.ece | title= Waiting for the birds of good fortune | date=26 May 2006 | newspaper=The Hindu | first=G.V. | last=Ramana Rao | access-date=1 June 2018 }}

{{Hydrography of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Eluru topics}}
{{Ramsar sites in India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests]]
[[Category:Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests]]
[[Category:Lakes of Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in India]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Eluru]]
[[Category:Geography of West Godavari district]]

Kolleru Lake - Revision history

imported>MPGuy2824 at 04:26, 29 August 2021