| Lake Name | Location / River Associated | Why in News / Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Pangong Tso | Ladakh | India’s first-ever “Frozen-Lake Marathon” was held on Pangong Tso. Altitude: 13,862 feet. 21-km marathon titled “Last Run” was organised for climate change awareness. Temperature touched nearly –30°C. |
| Glacial Lakes of Indian Himalayas | Indian Himalayan Region | ISRO satellite observations showed rapid expansion of glacial lakes between 1984 and 2023. Expansion linked to accelerated glacier retreat driven by climate change. Himalayas are called the “Third Pole”. |
| Wular Lake | Jammu & Kashmir, Jhelum River | Tulbul Navigation Project revival considered after Indus Waters Treaty was reportedly put on hold. Project is also known as Wular Barrage Project. Proposed barrage: 439-ft long and 40-ft wide below Wular Lake near Ningli. Storage capacity proposed: 0.30 MAF to regulate Jhelum flow. |
| Pulicat Lake | Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu coast | Polychaete / bristle worms are important wetland species found in Pulicat. Ten species of polychaetes identified and stated to be endemic. Pulicat Lake is described as an ecotone. Supports flamingos, migratory birds, fish, crustaceans, mangroves and wetland communities. |
| South Lhonak Lake | Sikkim | Lake expanded nearly 12 times between 1975 and 2023. Expansion occurred due to continuous meltwater inflow from the glacier above. Important for GLOF and Himalayan climate-risk studies. |
| Harsil Temporary Lake | Uttarakhand, Bhagirathi River | Temporary lake formed after August 2025 Dharali flash floods. Created due to obstruction of Bhagirathi River flow. Raised sudden breach and downstream flooding concerns. |
| Tsomgo / Changu Lake | Sikkim | Heavy snowfall near Tsomgo and Sherathang stranded hundreds of tourist vehicles in February 2026. Located near Gangtok at around 3,753 metres. Glacial lake that freezes during winter. Culturally significant for local Sikkimese communities. |
| Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan, near Jaipur–Ajmer | Asian Waterbird Census 2026 recorded nearly 2.3 lakh migratory waterbirds of 47 species. Flamingos dominated the count. Lake turned pink due to massive flamingo concentration. Flamingos are attracted by algae, brine shrimp and shallow hypersaline waters. Villages around Sambhar witnessed community-built rainwater ponds. Nosal and Jhakholai revived agriculture, groundwater recharge and livelihoods. |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha | Reports indicate decreasing depth due to massive sediment deposition. Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon. Designated Ramsar Site. Issue linked to wetland degradation and livelihood security. |
| Lonar Lake / Lonar Crater Lake | Maharashtra | Water level rose by nearly 15–20 feet due to continuous freshwater inflow from perennial springs. Globally known as a saline and alkaline crater lake. Seasonal colour-changing phenomenon: blue, green, pink or reddish. Formed by meteorite impact in basaltic Deccan Trap region. Continuous freshwater mixing may alter salinity and biodiversity. Considered a natural laboratory due to extremophile microbial ecosystem. |
| Roopkund Lake / Skeleton Lake | Uttarakhand | Renewed public and scientific attention due to ancient human skeleton mystery. Situated at about 5,020 metres. Known as “Skeleton Lake of India”. Remains frozen and snow-covered during winter. |
| Dal Lake | Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar | World’s only floating post office is located on Dal Lake. Operated by Department of Posts from a traditional Kashmiri houseboat near Nehru Park. Dal Lake hosted first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival. |
| Sukhna Lake | Chandigarh | IAF Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team performed air show over Sukhna Lake. Held on concluding day of two-day airshow on 28 March 2026. |
| Raja Rani Lake | Chhattisgarh, Korba district | BSIP scientists found evidence of stronger medieval Indian Summer Monsoon. Evidence came from ancient pollen grains preserved in lake sediments. Lake lies in India’s Core Monsoon Zone. CMZ receives nearly 89–90% of India’s annual rainfall under ISM influence. |
| Manasarovar Lake / Mapam Yum Tso | Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route | Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumed after five-year hiatus. |
| Gurudongmar Lake | North Sikkim | Among the world’s highest lakes at nearly 5,430 metres. Remains frozen between November and May. Associated with Guru Padmasambhava and Guru Nanak traditions. |
| Suraj Tal | Himachal Pradesh, below Baralacha La Pass | Highlighted as an important frozen Himalayan lake. Located at around 4,890 metres. Fed by glaciers and freezes during winter. |
| Chandratal / Moon Lake | Himachal Pradesh, Spiti | Known as “Moon Lake” due to crescent shape. Located at around 4,300 metres. Freezes completely during winter. |
| Pookode Lake | Kerala, Wayanad | Smallest freshwater lake in Kerala. |
| Siliserh Lake | Rajasthan, Alwar | India proposed Siliserh Lake as a Ramsar Site. |
| Karanji Lake | Karnataka, Mysuru | South India’s first penguin park proposed at Karanji Lake. |
| Puzhal Lake / Red Hills Lake | Tamil Nadu, Chennai | One of four main reservoirs serving Chennai. |
| Lake Name | Location / River Associated | Why in News / Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Chad | Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon; Sahel region | Lake Chad Basin lies in the Sahel, on the southern edge of the Sahara. Lake drastically shrunk from nearly 25,000 sq km in the 1960s to 1,350 sq km in the 2000s. Home to around 17.4 million people. Shrinkage linked to water stress, insecurity and ecological impact. |
| Lake Urmia | Northwestern Iran | Once Middle East’s largest lake and world’s sixth-largest saltwater lake. Has lost more than 80% of its water volume. Affected by excessive agricultural extraction and prolonged drought linked to climate change. |
| Great Salt Lake | Utah, USA | Known as “America’s Dead Sea”. Largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. Supports brine shrimp and flies, which millions of birds rely on for food. Shrinking due to environmental stress. |
| Lake Mead | Nevada, USA | Facing historic water-level decline. Largest reservoir in the United States. Decline linked to prolonged drought and rising water demand. |
| Lake Poopó | Bolivia, Altiplano Mountains | Bolivia’s formerly second-largest lake after Titicaca dried up completely / faced severe shrinkage. Located more than 12,000 feet above sea level. Average depth only around 10 feet. Affected by climate change, prolonged drought, mining and agriculture. |
| Lake Pergusa | Sicily, Italy | Only natural lake in Sicily nearly dried up. Drying linked to intense drought, climate change and prolonged rainfall deficit. Highlights Mediterranean climate crisis and freshwater ecosystem vulnerability. |
| Lake Mornos | Central Greece; reservoir supplying Attica and Athens | Severe drought and heatwaves reduced water levels. Submerged village of Kallio re-emerged after nearly 45 years underwater. Major man-made freshwater reservoir supplying Attica region including Athens. |
| Lake Tefé | Amazonas state, Brazil | Extreme warming and dolphin deaths recorded during 2023 drought. Amazon pink river dolphins died during the severe drought. Temperature recorded around 41°C. Amazon river dolphin is an iconic freshwater mammal of the Amazon basin. |
| Lake Rouge / Lac Rouge / Emoji Lake | Quebec, Canada | Vanished after sudden outburst flood caused by bank collapse. Known as “Emoji Lake” because its shape with two smaller lakes resembled a shocked face from space. Located in southwestern Quebec. |
| Lake Titicaca | Peru–Bolivia | Identified among major freshwater systems experiencing decline. |
| Lake Untersee | East Antarctica | NASA highlighted it as a possible analogue for life beyond Earth. Permanently ice-covered freshwater lake. Contains nearly 150% more oxygen than ordinary freshwater lakes. Important for studying microbial life and possible gas-trapping systems beneath icy worlds. |